>> OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
TODAY IS MAY 6 OF 2020, THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL SELECT COMMITTEE
ON HOMELESSNESS TRAGEDIES OR
INVESTMENTS WILL COME TO ORDER,
IT IS 2: OH 2 PM, I'M THE
CHAIRMAN OF HOMELESSNESS AND
INVESTMENTS, WILL THE CHAIR
PLEASE CALL THE ROLE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER LORENA
GONZALEZ?
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
COUNCILMEMBER KSHAMA SAWANT?
COUNCILMEMBER DAN STRAUSS?
CHAIR LOUIS?
>> THERE ARE SIX MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THE COUNCILMEMBER DID
CONTACT ME, SHE IS GOING TO BE
EXCUSED FOR THIS MEETING.
THE SOUND TRANSIT MEETING IS
RUNNING A LITTLE BIT OVER, SO
WE EXPECT TO SEE THEM SHORTLY.
MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF THE
AGENDA, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
THE CHAIRS FOR COURT, WHILE WE
HAVE A PACKED AGENDA TODAY TO
GO OVER THE REVIEW OF THE HOPE
TEAM WHICH IS THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL RECONSTITUTED AS THE
FORMER NAVIGATION TEAM INTO A
NEW MODEL OF THE HOPE TEAM AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO AN UPDATE ON
THE ACTIVITIES OF THAT TEAM, WE
ARE ALSO GOING TO GET AN UPDATE
FROM SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
ON THE COUNCIL'S ACTIONS TO FUND
SEVERAL STREETS UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF CONGRESS MEMBER
MORALES, WE BOTH SERVE ON THE
BOARD OF HEALTH, THE NEED HAS
NEVER BEEN GREATER TO MAKE SURE
THAT THERE'S MORE ACCESS TO
RUNNING WATER FOR EVERYBODY
THAT LIVES IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE TO OBSERVE OR TO HAVE
ACCESS TO BASIC HYGIENE
FACILITIES SO I LOOK FORWARD TO
THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WITHOUT
ANY MORE LEAD INTO THAT, I WANT
TO PUT IT TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
SO WE CAN HEAR FROM FOLKS
BEFORE WE BEGIN THE CRUX OF THE
MEANING. I WILL MODERATE THE
PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER, THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS 20
MINUTES, EACH SPEAKER WILL BE
GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK, I
WILL CALL ON EACH BY NAME AND
IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE
REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET
REGISTERED TO SPEAK BUT WOULD
LIKE TO COME YOU CAN SIGN UP
FOR THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT
BY GOING TO THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE AT SEATTLE.GOV/COUNSEL.
IT IS ALSO LISTED ON TODAY'S
AGENDA FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
ONCE I CALLED THE SPEAKERS
NAMES, THE STAFF WILL UNMUTE
THE APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE AND
AN AUTOMATIC PROMPT WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S QUEUE THAT IT IS
THEIR TURN TO SPEAK AND THE
SPEAKER MUST PRESS á6 TO BEGIN
SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
YOU ARE ADDRESSING. AS A
REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD
RELATE TO AN ITEM ON TODAY'S
AGENDA OR WITHIN THE
COMMITTEE'S PURVIEW.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS OR LESS ARE ALLOWED
FOR THE ALLOTTED TIME.
WE ASK THAT YOU WRAP UP YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END AT THE
END OF THE ALLOTTED TIME, THE
SPEAKERS MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER.
ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ASK THAT YOU
PLEASE DISCONNECT AND PLEASE
CONTINUE FOLLOWING VIA THE
SEATTLE CHANNEL OR THE ITEMS
LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
WITH THAT, I WILL GIVE IT TO
THE LIST AND RECOGNIZE OUR
FIRST SPEAKER, THE FIRST SPEAKER
WHO IS PRESENT IS LISTED FIRST
NAME AND LAST NAME READ, YOU
ARE RECOGNIZED FOR TWO MINUTES
TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDREW
CONSTANTINO.
>> HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON
COUNSEL, I WANTED TO SPEAK TO
YOU ABOUT THE HOPE TEAM WHICH
IS THE NEW NAVIGATION TEAM
WHICH YOU SHARED AT THE START
OF THIS MEETING.
I WANTED TO GET TO THE POINT,
MULTIPLE HOUSES ARE SCHEDULED
THIS MONTH, IN MAY.
HAPPENING DURING A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC, THINK ABOUT THAT FOR
A MOMENT, THEY ARE JUST VIOLENT
AND INHUMANE, IT IS RACIST TO
ME, THAT THE EIGHTH AND KING
AND MET AT PIONEER SQUARE,
ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE
DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF THE
RESIDENCE, THIS CAMP HAS ELDERS,
SOME HAVE PTSD FROM WAR TRAUMA,
SOME ARE SEX WORKERS, MANY ARE
DISABLED ALLIED RESOURCES TO
ACCESS SHELTER, CARE,
VACCINATIONS AND AID.
THE CITY ALLOCATED $1.4 MILLION
TO THE COMMUNITY ROOM OF THE
GOAL TO MAKE IT SAFER.
THE CITY ALSO VOWED TO STAND
AGAINST RACIAL VIOLENCE
HAPPENING AGAINST THE ASIAN
COMMUNITY. YES, THESE
CONTINUING ACTS OF VIOLENCE
ORDERED KEEP HAPPENING WITH
SEEMINGLY NO END IN SIGHT.
IT GOES AGAINST THE CITY AND
COUNCIL MEMBERS VALUES, I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH
GRASSROOTS REPORTERS DOING THE
WORK ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THIS
IS NOT THE ANSWER, THE HOPE TEAM
HOLDS HOTEL VOUCHERS AND OTHER
ACCESS, WHY ARE YOU ALLOWING
THEM TO GATE KEEP ACCESS TO
CARE?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS ANDREW CONSTANTINO.
>> MY NAME IS ANDREW
CONSTANTINO, ASSISTANT PROGRAM
MANAGER FOR THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, I RECEIVED COUNTLESS
CALLS AND EMAILS FROM PEOPLE IN
NEED DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET
INTO A TINY HOME. IT'S
HEARTBREAKING TO KNOW THAT MANY
MAY HAVE TO SPEND ANOTHER NIGHT
ON THE STREETS WHEN THEY ARE
ASKING FOR HELP.
WHEN I VISITED FOLKS AT
ENCAMPMENTS SUCH AS THOSE WE
SEE IN THE PARK, THE CAMPERS
ARE EAGER AND WILLING TO TAKE
SHELTER IF IT MEANS A TINY
HOUSE.
MANY HOMELESS FOLKS WERE LUCKY
ENOUGH TO GET A REFERRAL TO
STAY AT A VILLAGE, TELL US OF
LOVED ONES STILL OUTSIDE WHO
THEY WANT TO HELP GET THE SAME
OPPORTUNITY.
NEIGHBORS REACH OUT TO US
CONCERNED ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE UN-SHELTERED AND ASK HOW
THEY COULD HELP GET THEM INTO A
VILLAGE.
THE TRUTH IS THAT ON MOST DAYS,
THE CURRENT VILLAGES ARE AT
CAPACITY AND NEW OPENINGS ARE
FILLED WITH IN HOURS.
THE NEED IS SO GREAT AND THERE
IS NO SHORTAGE OF GOODWILL IN
SEATTLE, LET'S BUILD MORE
VILLAGES UNTIL WE HAVE TWO
NEVER AGAIN SAY NO TO THOSE
ASKING FOR HELP.
>> THANK YOU ANDREW, NEXT IS
CHLOE FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE
DAWSON.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS
AFTERNOON.
AS YOU KNOW, THE REES STAFFER
ARE OUT DAILY, BRINGING PEOPLE
INSIDE WHERE THEIR NEEDS ARE
MET.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH SO MANY
SKILLED OTHER OUTREACH
AGENCIES.
WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE
TO BE HUMANE. TODAY FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION, I LOOK FORWARD TO
HEARING FROM YOUR PRESENTERS
BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT HOW TO
BUILD THE SYSTEM IN A MORE
EQUITABLE WAY THAT REALLY NEEDS
TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FOLKS
OUTSIDE.
ONE QUESTION WE HAVE IS, AS AN
INCREASING NUMBER OF SITES ARE
BEING PRIVATIZED BY THE CITY
FOR CLEARING, WE WANT TO KNOW
HOW ARE THOSE SITES BEING
PRIORITIZED?
WHAT IS THEIR MODEL FOR
SELECTING THEM?
AND WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA THAT
THEY ARE USING? IS THERE AN
EQUITY LINES BEING OF LIMITED
WHEN MAKING THESE DECISIONS?
FINALLY, WHAT ARE THE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTREACH
MEMBERS TO GIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT
NEEDED TIMELINES AND RESOURCES
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING
AT THESE SITES?
WE HAVE NOT SEEN A STRONG
OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE NEEDS OF
THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE ARE
BROUGHT THERE IN REGARDS TO
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE
SITES.
MY SECOND LINE OF QUESTIONING
TODAY IS HOW IS THE CITY
TRACKING INDIVIDUAL DATA ABOUT
WHO IS GETTING REFERRALS INSIDE
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
REACHING THE RACE AND EQUITY
BENCHMARKS, THE HIGH COVID
PRIVATIZATIONS, POPULATIONS,
AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE'S
NEEDS ARE BEING MET SO THEY
WILL GET ONGOING CARE AND THEY
WILL GET MOVED INTO THE HOUSING
THAT THEY NEED?
WE HAVEN'T SEEN DATA ABOUT
REFERRALS COMING IN AND
FINALLY, WHEN PEOPLE DON'T GET
REFERRALS INSIDE, WHAT IS
HAPPENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
BEING DISPLACED?
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AND THOSE
QUESTIONS ARE NOTED.
NEXT IS CATHERINE DAWSON.
>> MY NAME IS CATHERINE DAWSON,
úI'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT 3,
WOULD LIKE TO ECHO THOSE
COMMENTS, AS I KNOW THERE DEEP
INVOLVEMENT AND MUTUAL AID, I
WOULD LIKE TO URGE THE
COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL TO TAKE
ACTION TO STOP THE ONGOING
VIOLENCE SWEEPS, THEY ARE
DESTRUCTIVE, THEY ARE
TRAUMATIZING, CURRENTLY THEY
ARE ONGOING AND UPCOMING SWEEPS
ARE PLANNED THROUGHOUT THE CITY
AND THROUGHOUT MY DISTRICT,
BROADWAY HOME PARK, THE COUNCIL
TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO STOP
, AND WE HAVE THOUSANDS
FIGHTING TO SURVIVE AND THEY
SHOULD ALSO HAVE TO FIGHT THE
POLICE WHO SERVE THE CITY FOR
THEIR BELONGINGS GET THROWN OUT
OR THEY HAVE TO MOVE AND ARE
GIVEN REFERRAL TO SERVICES, IT
IS AN INHUMANE SYSTEM THAT
CAN'T BE DONE INEQUITABLY.
I SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT WILL
DIRECTLY PROVIDE RESOURCES,
SERVICES AND HOUSING TO MEET
THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON
HOUSED, MANY PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN
OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS ABOUT
THE VALUES OF THE TINY HOME
VILLAGES AS THE ARPA FUNDING
SHOULD BE TO SUPPORT MORE
AFFORDABLE AND SUSTAINABLE
HOUSING FOR ALL.
I WANT TO THINK TO SAY THANK
YOU TO KSHAMA SAWANT FOR
CONTINUING TO FIGHT FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY
CRAIG.
SORRY, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS
TEDDY RHODES.
I APOLOGIZE.
>> HELLO, I'M CURRENTLY A
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 3, SO I
WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBERS KSHAMA
SAWANT FOR HER LONG-STANDING
SUPPORT OF THE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE MODEL.
RIGHT NOW I'M THE SITE MANAGER
FOR GEORGETOWN TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO IMPLORE YOU
ALL TO SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER
ANDREW LEWIS FOR HIS PROPOSAL,
IT TAKES A VILLAGE, THIS ALLOWS
PEOPLE A SAFE PLACE TO REGAIN
THEIR DIGNITY AND STABILITY AND
IT GIVES THEM HOPE FOR THE
FUTURE. NOT ONLY HAVE I SEEN
THIS HAPPEN AGAIN AND AGAIN
SINCE I STARTED WORKING HERE,
THIS IS ALSO MY OWN PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE HAVING BEEN HOMELESS
MYSELF.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP
OTHERS NOW WITHOUT THE SUPPORT
I FOUND IN THE VILLAGES.
I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE
COURAGE TO BECOME HOUSED AGAIN
WITHOUT THE VILLAGES SUPPORT
STAFF.
I WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE THE
SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT I WAS
GIVEN.
ANOTHER WAY TO SUPPORT THE
PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGES IS TO
USE THE ARPA TO PRIORITIZE
PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS
SUCH AS LEHIGH BUYING THE
APARTMENTS ENTERING THEM INTO
LOW INCOME HOUSING.
AFFORDABLE AND SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING IS A LONG-TERM SOLUTION
ON THE VILLAGES ARE THE SHORT
TERM SOLUTION.
WE CAN FIND BOTH AND MAKE IT SO
THAT OUR CITY IS WELCOMING AND
CAN BE FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS KELLY
CRAIG.
>> I'M WITH REACH, AND I'M HERE
AND THANKFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE
HOPE TEAM ENCAMPMENT CLEARING.
IN THE INTEREST OF
UNDERSTANDING THE FULL IMPACT
OF SITE SPACE CLEARING, SOME
PEOPLE LIVING ON SHELTERED, I'M
WONDERING HOW THE CITY IS
GATHERING DATA TO MEASURE HOW
MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING DISPLACED
WHO ARE NOT ACCESSING SHELTER,
HOUSING AND OTHER NEEDED CARE,
WHO IS BEING LEFT OUT? WHAT ARE
THE REASONS?
ARE THESE CLEARINGS FULLY
ABIDING BY THE CITIES ON
PRINCIPLES AROUND RACIAL EQUITY
AND HUMAN RIGHTS?
HOW WILL THE CITY GATHERING
DATA AND INDIVIDUAL STORIES
THAT HIGHLIGHT THE BARRIERS
PEOPLE ARE FACING, THE SYSTEM
GAP IN THE RESOURCE LIMITATIONS
IN THE HARMFUL IMPACT ON OUR
MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS.
HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO
MINIMIZE THE HARM?
SIMPLY PROVIDE MORE TIME TO
RESOURCES THAT LEAD TO
OPPORTUNITIES AND BETTER
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR EACH PERSON
LIVING OUTSIDE WOULD BE A
START.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS TERESA.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS TERESA AND
I'M THE TINY HOUSE PROGRAM
MANAGER AT LEHIGH, I WISH TO
START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO
CONGO CONGRESS MEMBERS ANDREW
LEWIS , MORALES, AND KSHAMA
SAWANT FOR SUPPORTING OUR
PROGRAM, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT JOB
IN HEARING OUT WAYS TO INVEST A
FINITE OF MONEY IN SEATTLE'S
FUTURE.
MY HEART BREAKS WHEN I SEE THE
TABS COMING UP ALONG THE CITY.
IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE ON
HOUSED PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT
THE IT TAKES A VILLAGE PROPOSAL
TO BUILD NINE NEW TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES TO ADDRESS
HOMELESSNESS AND THE SPREAD OF
THE CORONAVIRUS.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR VILLAGES WERE
A FORM OF KNOWN CONGREGANT
SHELTER TO ALLOW FOR SOCIAL
DISTANCING IN CASE THE VILLAGERS
ARE UNHEALTHY.
THEY ARE HUMANE, THEY HONOR THE
AUTONOMY AND DIGNITY OF EACH
VILLAGER AND THEY HAVE THE
HIGHEST RATES OF PERMANENT
HOUSING WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER
SHELTER PROGRAMS.
WE SHELTER SINGLES, COUPLES AND
FAMILIES AND WE TRAIN OUR TEAM
TO DO THIS WORK WITH LOVE AND
RESPECT.
PRESERVING THE DIGNITY OF EVERY
VILLAGER IS IMPORTANT.
PLEASE HELP US BUILD MORE TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES SO THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND FOR EITHER
MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY
ON HOUSED.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS ANDREW DYLAN FOLLOWED BY
GEORGE AND JOSH CASTLE.
>> YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HIT á6.
>> I THINK YOU MAY HAVE MINE
AND ANDREW'S NUMBERS SWAPPED AS
WE ARE IN THE SAME OFFICE
BUILDING.
>> OKAY, YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AHEAD?
>> OKAY, YES, I'M THE
HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM MANAGER
HERE, I WAS ADDRESSED THAT FROM
WEEKLY OUTREACH, WE TRY TO
PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THE
HOMELESS RELATIVES THAT ARE IN
THE AREA, ESPECIALLY TARGETING
THOSE AT THE EIGHTH AND KING
ENCAMPMENT AND WE FIND THAT
THEY CONTINUE TO BE REACTIVE TO
THE HOMELESSNESS HOUSING IN
SEATTLE, BUT THE REACTORS ARE
NOT ALLOWED TO PROVIDE THE
ABILITY TO GIVE THE NATIVE
RELATIVES INTO SHELTERS, TINY
HOMES OR ANY KIND OF HOUSING
ACCESS JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE
NOT IN THE SITES THAT ARE
TARGETED IN THIS CRITERIA OF
THE HOPE TEAM, WHETHER IT IS ON
A PARK OR INFRINGES ON CITY
INFRASTRUCTURE IN NONE OF THESE
CRITERIA CONSIDER THE SAFETY OF
THE CAMPERS AND, I YIELD THE
REST OF MY TIME.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE GEORGE AND
THEN JOSH CASTLE.
>> GEORGE, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO
HIT á6.
SPINNING GEORGE, WE CANNOT HEAR
YOU IF YOU ARE TRYING TO TALK.
>> OKAY.
I'M WORKING WITH LEHIGH TO
BUILD MORE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES,
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER ANDREW
LEWIS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON IT
TAKES A VILLAGE, THE PROPOSAL
OF THE BILL ON TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, THIS IS THE KIND OF
STRATEGY THE CITY NEEDS.
I'M URGING THE COMMITTEE TODAY
TO SUPPORT USING ARPA FUNDS TO
BUILD NINE NEW TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES THIS YEAR.
THAT IS IN ADDITION TO THE
THREE NEW TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
ALREADY FUNDED AND ALREADY
UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF
THE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES IN YOUR
DISTRICT, WE ARE WEEKS AWAY
FROM BREAKING GROUND.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER KSHAMA
SAWANT FOR BEING A LONG TIME
CHAMPION OF TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
BUILDING AND OPENING NINE MORE
VILLAGES THIS YEAR WOULD COST
ABOUT $9.5 MILLION.
ONCE OPENED, THEY WOULD HELP
MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR,
LEAVE THE STREETS, ACCESS THE
SERVICES THEY NEED, AND
FINALLY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
IS COMMITTED TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. LET'S NOT WASTE THIS
MOMENTUM, PLEASE USE ARPA FUNDS
TO BUILD NINE MORE TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES AND HELP 500 PEOPLE
IMMEDIATELY.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT, BEGIN
ADDRESSING THE CRISIS OF
HOMELESSNESS AT THE SCALE IT
DESERVES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS JOSH CASTLE FOLLOWED BY
KAREN SALINAS. JOSH, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIR ANDREW LEWIS, AND OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, I
URGE THE COUNCIL TO ADDRESS
THIS DUAL CRISES OF HOMELESSNESS
IN THE PANDEMIC WITH THE
URGENCY THEY DESERVE BY
PRIORITIZING MANY MORE TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES, SAFE CAR AND RV
LOTS, AND HELP PEOPLE GET
INSIDE AND IN A SAFE SPACE.
WE ARE ASKING THE COUNCIL TO
SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND
OPERATION OF NINE NEW TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES WITH 9.5 MILLION
IN FEDERAL ARPA FUNDINGTO GET
500 PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY INSIDE
AND PROTECTION FROM EXPOSURE TO
OVID-19.
AT EAST TWO OF THESE VILLAGES
TO GO TO PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR
VEHICLES.
THEY ARE KNOWN CONGREGANT
SHELTER THAT ALLOW RESIDENTS
PRIVACY, DIGNITY AND SOCIAL
DISTANCING AS RESIDENTS DO NOT
HAVE TO SHARE AIR OR SPACE WITH
OTHERS.
ON-SITE CASE MANAGERS CAN WORK
WITH RESIDENTS TO HELP THEM
OBTAIN PERMANENT OR LONG-TERM
HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT HEALTHCARE,
TREATMENT RECOVERY FROM TRAUMA
AND MORE.
OFTEN PEOPLE SHOW UP AT THE
VILLAGES AFTER BEING SWEPT WITH
NOTHING AFTER HAVING THEIR
VALUABLES, MEDICATION, CLOTHING
AND OTHER ITEMS TAKEN BY THE
SWEEP.
CASE MANAGERS HELP RESIDENTS
ELIMINATE BARRIERS BY GETTING
THEIR ID AND DOCUMENTATION IN
NAVIGATING THE HUGE CHALLENGE
OF FINDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THAT WILL WORK FOR THEM.
IT IS THROUGH THE TALENTED
LIFELONG LEHIGH CASE MANAGERS
THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO
VILLAGES HAVING THE HIGHEST
RATE OF EXIT TO LONG-TERM
HOUSING OF ALL FORMS OF SHELTER.
WE NEED MORE OF THESE THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER ANDREW
LEWIS AND YOUR STAFF , AND
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN FOR YOUR SPONSORSHIP
AND SUPPORT OF THE VILLAGE IN
THE U DISTRICT, YOU AND YOUR
STAFF HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL,
WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WE
ARE CLOSE TO BREAKING GROUND.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER
KSHAMA SAWANT FOR YOUR EARLY
AND LONGTIME LEADERSHIP IN
SUPPORT OF TINY HOUSE VILLAGES.
AND MY COUNCILMEMBER, JUAREZ
FOR PRIORITIZING DISTRICT 5.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> AND KAREN SALINAS IS THE
NEXT SPEAKER.
>> HELLO EVERYONE, I WOULD LIKE
TO HIGHLIGHT OUR CLIENTS AND
STAFF, I'M WORKING WITH REACH,
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO
MAINTAIN CARE WITH OUR CLIENTS
BY COMPLETELY REMOVING THEM
FROM THE AREA THEY HAVE GOTTEN
USED TO, CURRENTLY CLEARING THE
SITES HAVE HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON
OUR STAFF, WE ARE FACING
BURNOUT AND FRUSTRATION IN THIS
WORK WITH FURTHER HARMS OUR
CLIENTS.
IT DIMINISHES THE TRUST WE HAVE
BUILT WITH THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THAT HAVE COME TO KNOWN
AS AND ALLIES THAT HELP THE
COMMUNITY AND HAVE PUT OUR
OUTREACH WORKERS AT A CERTAIN
LEVEL OF RISK OF COMPLAINTS
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW
WHO ELSE TO TALK TO HIM THEY
ARE THE ONES THAT ARE SEEN.
WE WANT SUFFICIENT
INAPPROPRIATE PLACES FOR FOLKS
PRIOR TO THEM BEING MOVED,
FLEXIBILITY IN BEING ABLE TO
RESPOND BASED ON OUR CLINICAL
JUDGMENT, ABILITY TO HAVE
DIRECT FEEDBACK TO INFORM THE
DECIDING PARTIES ON WHAT IS NOT
WORKING AND ACCESS TO LOW
BARRIER SHELTER OPTIONS THAT
HONOR CLIENT HONEY AND
INDEPENDENCE.
MY QUESTIONS TODAY ARE, HOW IS
THE CITY LISTENING TO THE NEEDS
OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE VENT
AND HOW HAS THE CITY RESPONDED?
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
ANDREW, I'M THE GRANT AND
CONTRACT DIRECTOR AT THE
SEATTLE HEALTH BOARD, I'M
COMMENTING ON CHANGES IN THE
ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING TODAY,
SINCE JANUARY 2021, SEATTLE AND
THE HEALTH BOARD HAS BEEN
WORKING IN GOOD FAITH WHILE
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
CONTRACTS WERE BEING FINALIZED
TO PROVIDE CONTRACT SERVICES
BASED ON THE PREVIOUS 2 YEARS
OF HOMELESSNESS INVESTMENTS
PROGRAMMING.
IN APRIL WE WERE SURPRISED BY
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO
REPORTING AND PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE
CONTRACT AND BY THE LACK OF
COMMUNICATION, FROM HST AROUND
THESE CONTRACT CHANGES.
THE ADDITIONAL CONTRACT
REQUIREMENTS WILL PLACE BURDENS
ON OUR PROVIDERS WHILE TAKING
AWAY FROM TIME SPENT PROVIDING
DIRECT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS OF AMERICAN INDIANS AND
ALASKA NATIVES THAT ARE
CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS.
OVER 50 YEARS, SEATTLE INDIAN
HEALTH BOARD HAS BUILT A STRONG
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY
WE SERVE, CONTRACT CHANGES
WOULD LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO WORK
DIRECTLY WITH THIS COMMUNITY
AND INSTEAD PRIORITIZE CITY
IDENTIFIED TARGET ENCAMPMENTS,
AS A NON-EFFECTIVE WAY TO TARGET
HOMELESSNESS, DISPARITIES AND
DISPROPORTIONALITY'S AMONG
AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA
NATIVES IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
WE DO NOT SUPPORT SWEEPS OF
ENCAMPMENTS, WE KNOW THEY ARE
TRAUMA INDUCING AND RESULT IN
CONTINUED EROSION AMONGST TRUST
OF OUR MEMBERS.
WE NEED LOW BARRIER ACCESS AND
REFERRING MEMBERS TO SAVE
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.
AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA
NATIVES IN SEATTLE NEED
SOLUTIONS TO LONG-TERM AND
PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE CHANGES
TO THE 2021 HOMELESSNESS
INVESTMENTS OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT CONTRACTS FURTHER
THIS GOAL.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, CINDY, YOU MIGHT BE
MUTED.
>> HELLO.
OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY, I'M A WEST SEATTLE
LEADER AND MEMBER OF THE CEC, I
KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW SUCCESSFUL
THIS PROGRAM IS.
OUR EXPERIENCE OPENED MANY EYES
AND HEARTS AFTER PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THE SAFETY THEY RECEIVED IN THE
VILLAGE IS LIFE-CHANGING AND
ALLOWS THEM TO REGROUP AND WORK
WITH CASE MANAGERS TO MOVE
FORWARD IN THEIR LIVES, IT IS
PROFOUND, POWERFUL, AND RESULTS
IN THE HIGHEST EXIT RATES OF
LONG-TERM HOUSING.
I'M ASKING YOU TO RAPIDLY
EXPAND TINY HOUSE VILLAGES, THE
TARGET IS NONE, USING ARPA
FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL
AND TO GET OVER 500 PEOPLE OFF
THE STREETS AND INTO SAFE
SHELTER.
USE THESE FUNDS TO CREATE TWO
VILLAGES FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN
THEIR VEHICLES.
THIS ALLOWS MORE PEOPLE TO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM
THEIR LIVES AND BE PROTECTED
FROM COVID.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF
ROSIE'S VILLAGE AND LISA
HERBOLD FOR YOUR SECOND CHANCE
AND TO ALL THE COUNCIL PEOPLE,
THANK YOU MAMA I YIELD MY TIME.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS BRENDA FRAZIER FOLLOWED BY
SHERI.
>> MY NAME IS BRENDA FRAZIER, I
AM THE OUTREACH SUPERVISOR, I'M
INTERESTED, OR I HAVE SOME
COMMENTS, RIGHT NOW WE ARE
BEING ASKED TO BE AT SITES THE
DAY OF REMOVAL AND, I THINK
PART OF THAT IS BEING REQUIRED
TO BE AT SITES WHILE THEY ARE
BEING CLEANED IS HARMFUL TO OUR
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CLIENTS,
THAT WE HAD WORKED HARD TO
DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
POOR, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE
MORE TIME WHEN IT COMES TO
GETTING NOTIFIED REGARDING
REMOVALS DUE TO THE OUTREACH
TEAM HAVING TIME TO GO TO THE
SITE, DEVELOP PLANS WITH PEOPLE
, AND MAKE APPROPRIATE SHELTER
AND HOTEL REFERRALS WHEN THEY
ARE AVAILABLE. SO, THAT IS A
REQUEST. THE OTHER THING IS,
HOTEL AND SHELTER
RECOMMENDATION AND LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY AND FEEDBACK.
CURRENTLY WE ARE MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE HAVE
RECEIVED NO FEEDBACK ON WHO THE
POTENTIAL HOTEL OR SHELTER IS
GOING TO.
THERE'S A LOT, THERE IS A LACK
OF TRANSPARENCY AND WHO IS
GETTING INTO THESE LIMITED
OPTIONS. WE HAVE ASKED SEVERAL
TIMES FOR THAT INFORMATION AND
HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT.
ALSO, A NEW COVID PEER SYSTEM
WAS SET UP FOR VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS TO GET INTO HOTELS.
INITIALLY, IT APPEARED TO BE
WORKING AS IT WAS SET UP TO DO
SO, THEN THERE WAS AN INCREASE
IN THE HIGH-PRIORITY SITES IN
ORDER TO CLEAR SITE FOLKS WHO
WERE BEING OFFERED THE HOTEL
INSTEAD OF SHELTER, ULTIMATELY
RESULTING IN HAVING HIGHER
MEMBERS OF HEALTHY YOUNG FOLKS
GETTING INTO LIMITED NUMBERS OF
HOTELS AND SHELTER RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU, THE NEXT SPEAKER
IS SHERI, WHO IS NOT PRESENT.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO KWANWA LOU
. AND THEN THE CALL.
>> HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK
YOU COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU
FOR HOSTING THIS TINY HOUSE
PROGRAM AND I BELIEVE THIS IS
THE FIRST STEP THAT THE CITY
SHOULD HAVE DONE A LONG TIME
AGO TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING
PROBLEM, AND I JUST WANT TO BE
DIRECT AND FRANK, ESPECIALLY TO
YOU, ANDREW LEWIS, I NOTICED
YOUR WORK, THEY ARE ACTUALLY A
VERY HARMFUL GROUP AND I HOPE
YOU NEVER WORK WITH THEM
BECAUSE THEIR GOAL IS NOT TO
ADDRESS THE HOMELESSNESS
PROBLEM, THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT
THE AESTHETICS OF THE CITY, AND
ALSO, THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT
EIGHT OR NINE SWEEPS THIS
COMING WEEK AND SWEEPING, I
WANT TO REITERATE OTHER
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, IT IS
TRAUMATIZING TO THE PEOPLE, SO
BESIDES THAT, WHAT ARE YOU
GOING TO DO WITH THIS SWEEP?
WE HAVE PEOPLE, WHEN
HOMELESSNESS FACED THE SWEEPS,
THEY HAVE TO START ALL OVER
AGAIN AND THOSE PEOPLE LOSE
EVERYTHING SO I REALLY WANT YOU
TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU COULD
DO BESIDES SWEEPING AND IT IS
INHUMANE, ESPECIALLY IN THE
PANDEMIC.
AND RIGHT NOW CITY HALL IS VERY
CROWDED, THAT IS ALL I WANT TO
SAY, THANK YOU, HAVE A GREAT
AFTERNOON.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NICOLE
FOLLOWED BY LAURA BERNSTEIN.
>> MY NAME IS NICOLE, I'M A
RESIDENT OF COUNCIL DISTRICT 7,
I'M ALSO A CASE MANAGER AND I'M
ECHOING THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER
AND OTHERS, I'M CALLING ON THE
CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE IMMEDIATE
ACTION TO STOP THE SWEEPS OF
THE SEATTLE AND CAMPUS THAT ARE
SCHEDULED FOR THE REST OF THIS
MONTH AND THAT ALREADY OCCURRED
THIS MORNING.
SWEEPS ARE INHUMANE, THEY GO
AGAINST THE CITIES COVID
GUIDELINES, THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY
VIOLENT, THEY TRAUMATIZE
RESIDENTS IN THE UPROOT THE
COMMUNITIES AND THEY DO NOTHING
TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF
HOMELESSNESS OR THE CITY IN THE
WHOLE TEAM CLAIM TO OFFER
SHELTER AND HOTEL OPTIONS BUT
THERE ARE MANY BARRIERS FOR
PEOPLE TO ACCESS THEM AND I
IMPLORE FOR THE COUNCIL TO STOP
THE SWEEPS AND I YIELD THE REST
OF MY TIME.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, LAURA BERNSTEIN.
>> THIS IS LAURA, I'M A RENTER
IN DISTRICT 7 AND I SAW THAT
THERE ARE EIGHT AREAS IN NEED
AN DISTRICT 7 ON TWITTER, ON
POTENTIAL PLACEMENT FOR STREET
-- THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND
WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH
THAT, THEY HAVE DONE A MEETING
ON THE CONFINEMENT CAMPS, AND
WE NEED TO MOVE QUICKLY ON
THAT, AND MANY PUBLIC BATHROOMS
AND SIGNAGE SO PEOPLE KNOW
WHERE THOSE BATHROOMS ARE, WE
TALK ABOUT RECOVERY AND
BUSINESSES AND TOURISM AND ALL
OF THAT STUFF, AND IF WE DO THAT
WITHOUT INCREASING THE PUBLIC
BATHROOMS, WE ARE REALLY
HURTING EVERYBODY IN OUR CITY,
AND PLEASE STOP THE SWEEPS,
LIKE EVERYONE SAID, THEY ARE
TRAUMATIC, HARMFUL, DISRUPTIVE
PEOPLE'S LIVES, TRAUMATIZED
PEOPLE, DISRUPT THE TRUST IN
THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM
AND IT'S JUST REALLY BAD AND
THEY SHOULD STOP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> NEXT, JOEL KRAFT.
>> HELLO, I AM A LONG RESIDENT
OF WASHINGTON STATE, BORN AND
RAISED HERE, I LIVE IN WEST
SEATTLE ALTHOUGH I LIVED ALL
OVER WASHINGTON STATE AND I'M
CURRENTLY HOMELESS, I HAVE BEEN
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
HOWEVER, THAT HASN'T STOPPED ME
FROM DOING ALL OF MY COMMUNITY
WORK THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR
A WHILE, AS IN I'M ON THE
LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COUNSEL
FOR WASHINGTON, AND I JUST GOT
OUT OF THE MEETING WITH THE
HOUSING JUSTICE GROUP AND I'M
HERE TO TALK MAINLY ABOUT HOPE
AND HOW IT REALLY ISN'T GETTING
HELP TO PEOPLE BECAUSE ANY
SWEEPS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE
DESTRUCTIVE.
NO MATTER WHAT, WHILE YOU ARE
AT YOUR HOME, TWO DAYS, YOU GET
AN EVICTION NOTICE, YOU HAVE
TWO DAYS TO GET ALL OF YOUR
STUFF OUT AND FIND A NEW PLACE,
AND BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE $20 TO
YOUR NAME, AND IF YOU DON'T,
THEY TAKE EVERYTHING AND
DESTROY IT, EVERYTHING YOU OWN.
AND WE ARE SCRAMBLING AND
STRESSING BECAUSE IT IS
TRAUMATIC FOR ALL OF US.
IT IS TRAUMATIC WHEN THAT
HAPPENS.
AND DOING THE SWEEPS DOESN'T DO
ANYTHING FOR ANYBODY, EXCEPT
DESTRUCTION.
AND WE KNOW THAT THESE RESOURCES
THAT SUPPOSEDLY ALWAYS SAY,
THERE'S RESOURCES FOR EVERYBODY
AND THAT IS WHY WE CAN DO THE
SWEEPS, THERE'S NOT AND WE ALL
KNOW IT AND ALTHOUGH I'M SO
GRATEFUL TO HAVE COUNCILMEMBERS
WHO ARE SITTING UP THERE RIGHT
NOW, THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING
TIRELESSLY FOR OUR HOMELESS
PEOPLE SINCE THEY BASICALLY GOT
THERE AND THERE ARE OTHERS
AGAINST IT, WE NEED TO COME
TOGETHER.
WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC.
IF WE TRULY ARE A NATION AND A
STATE AND CITY THAT CARES ABOUT
ALL OF ITS CONSTITUENTS, THEN
WE HAVE TO TREAT EVERYONE AS A
CONSTITUENT AND THAT MEANS
THOSE OF US THAT ARE AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE BARREL AND LIVING
ON THE STREETS.
I'M ASKING ALL OF YOU, TO PUT
MONEY AND ALL THAT ASIDE AND
REMEMBER THAT THIS IS SEATTLE,
WE ARE THE STATE THAT, THE CITY
THAT LEADS EVERYTHING AND WE
NEED TO LEAD WHEN IT COMES TO
THIS.
AND IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO
WHEN YOU DECLARED AN EMERGENCY,
A CITY EMERGENCY REGARDING
HOUSE LOOSENESS AND WE NEED YOU
TO ACT AS IF IT IS AN
EMERGENCY, PLEASE MAKE SURE
THAT THIS IS NOT BECOMING
OMETHING WHERE ALL OF OUR M
VULNERABLE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY
OUR MOST MARGINALIZED ARE NOT
PUSHED TO THE GROUND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE CALL
AND FOR EVERYONE TODAY, I'M
GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS
ALREADY TESTIFIED.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT UP, LISTO
BARE AND THEN DAVID HAYNES.
>> HELLO, I'M A RESIDENT OF
DISTRICT 2 AND I'M SPEAKING YOU
TODAY TO STRONGLY URGE YOU TO
PLEASE STOP THE BREAK ON THE
HOUSE LESS COMMUNITY, THEY ARE
DISPLACING PEOPLE THAT HAVE
NOTHING, AND WE ARE WORKING
TIRELESSLY TO BUILD COMMUNITY
AND TRUST WITH THEM AND LIKE
OTHERS HAVE SAID, THESE ARE
JUST CAUSING DESTRUCTION AND
TRAUMA TO EVERYONE INVOLVED.
THERE ARE ALREADY OVER 12,000
RESIDENTS LIVING OUTSIDE AND WE
HOPE THAT REFLECTS THERE'S LESS
THAN 300 AVAILABLE BEDS OR
HOUSES FOR SHELTER IN TINY
HOMES.
WE CANNOT BE DISPLACING ALL
THESE FOLKS WITHOUT HAVING A
PLACE TO GO.
IT'S SENSELESS VIOLENCE AND IT
DOESN'T HELP ANYONE. IT'S NOT
HUMANE AND IT'S NOT A SOLUTION.
HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND WE
HAVE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO ALL
THESE VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
MY QUESTION IS, HOW WILL YOU
PROVIDE LOW BARRIER SHELTER,
AID AND MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS
FOR THE TRAUMA INFLICTED FROM
THESE RAIDS AND ON TOP OF THE
VIOLENCE THEY ARE ALREADY
FACING.
THANK YOU, I YIELD MY TIME.
>> NEXT UP, DAVID HAYNES
FOLLOWED BY NAOMI.
>> THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL.
WE NEED INVESTMENTS IN 21ST-
CENTURY FIRST WORLD QUALITY,
KNOWN CONGREGANT MOTEL ROOMS,
SHELTERS, KITCHENS, HOMES, AND
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
CONNECTED TO QUALIFIED SERVICE
PROVIDERS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY
SERVICE OFFICERS ACT AUTHORIZING
ENCAMPMENTS 24/7, AND MOTELS
NEEDED TO SAVE HOMELESS OVERRUN
BY OFFENDING PREDATORS AND
METHAMPHETAMINE AND HEROIN
ADDICTS AND SEX CRIMINALS.
RIGHT NOW, WE NEED A
REDEVELOPMENT OF WHATEVER MOTEL
THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO USE
AND YOU CAN HAVE THE ARMY CORPS
OF ENGINEERS AND UNIONS
QUALIFIED STEP UP AND ROBUSTLY
REDEVELOP WITH THEIR EQUIPMENT
AND LOGISTICAL DELIVERY OF THE
MATERIAL SO SOME OF THE MONEY
COULD BE USED TO BUILD OUT A
BUNCH MORE ROOMS THAT ARE
QUALIFIED FOR NON-CONGREGANT,
THAT WOULD GO HIGHER-LEVEL
WITHOUT ANY ACCOMMODATION OF
PARKING LOTS GETTING IN THE WAY
OF MORE FLOOR SPACE.
IT WOULD ENHANCE THE
ALLEVIATION OF THE OPPRESSION
OF THE HOMELESS CRISIS THAT IS
PRESENTLY BEING USED BY CERTAIN
NONPROFITS AND I HATE TO SAY
IT, DEMOCRATS THAT GET A
REELECTION APPARATUS, ALWAYS
ASKING FOR A RAISE WHEN THEY
ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR
BEING, FOR EXAMPLE, LEHI OWNS
URBAN REST STOP IN BALLARD AND
THEY ARE ALWAYS CLOSED ON THE
WEEKENDS AND THEY CLOSED TWICE
EARLY EACH WEEKDAY AFTER FOUR
HOURS FOR ONE HOUR AND BY
12:30, THEY ARE TELLING YOU NO
MORE SERVICE.
THEY KEEP TELLING US TO CALL
CITY COUNCIL AND ASK FOR MORE
MONEY.
THEY ARE THE SAME ONES THAT
WANT $9 MILLION FOR A SLUMP
VILLAGE, WE NEED 21st CENTURY
REDEVELOPMENT WITH QUALIFIED
DEVELOPERS AND WORKERS, SO TO
ALLEVIATE THE OPPRESSION.
WE CAN START THE 21st CENTURY
QUALITY BUILDOUT AND THE WHOLE
NATION FROM HERE.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER, NAOMI.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD AFTERNOON,
I'M WITH THE LOW INCOME HOUSING
INSTITUTE, I'M ASKING TODAY FOR
YOU TO FUND AND SUPPORT THE
OPERATION AND PRODUCTION OF LOW
INCOME HOUSING.
THIS PRODUCTION IS INEXPLICABLE
FROM SHELTER INVESTMENT BECAUSE
PROVIDING LONG-TERM HOUSING
OPTION AND STABILIZING
HOUSEHOLDS ALLOWS US TO FREE UP
SHELTER CAPACITY AND REDUCE THE
RATE OF RETURN BACK INTO
HOMELESSNESS.
THIS IS WHAT BRINGS US TO
FUNCTIONAL ZERO.
FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY AT THIS MOMENT,
DESPITE THE IMMENSE CHALLENGES
OF COVID-19, THE PANDEMIC HAS
PRESENTED US AN OPPORTUNITY TO
QUICKLY ACQUIRE MARKET RATE
BUILDING FOR LOW INCOME
HOUSING.
WE HAVE RECENTLY DONE THIS
SUCCESSFULLY, THE ACQUISITION
MADE IT POSSIBLE TO DELIVER
UNITS AT A SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCED PE UNIT COST WITHIN
FIVE MONTHS INSTEAD OF 5 YEARS.
SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN
DOZENS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO
ACQUIRE BUILDINGS.
WITH THIS SAID, WE PROPOSE
USING ARPA FUNDS AND ADDITIONAL
FUNDS FROM THE STATE AND CITY
TO BUILD UPON THIS SUCCESS AND
ACQUIRE NEW BUILDINGS THAT ARE
BEING SOLD AT THE LOW MARKET
VALUE.
FOR IMMEDIATE CONVERSION INTO
PERMANENT HOUSING.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO
ADVOCATE FOR AN ALLOCATION OF
ARPA FUNDS TO CLOSE THE BOARD
OF SERVICE FUNDING CURRENTLY IN
THE PERMANENT HOUSING AND
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS HOUSING IS
ESSENTIAL FOR KEEPING PEOPLE
HOUSED.
SEATTLE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE WAY WE
DELIVER HOUSING AND SERVICES
INSTEAD OF ADEQUATELY FUNDING
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING
THAT SERVES THE HIGHEST NEED OF
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OFTEN
TRAPPED IN THE SHELTER SYSTEM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT DOES LEAD US TO THE END OF
THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE CAN GO BACK AND TRY CHARI
ONE MORE TIME, THEY ARE STILL
LISTED AS NOT PRESENT AS WELL
AS GEORGE NEWSOM. AND THEY ARE
STILL NOT PRESENT.
SO, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT SESSION.
>> MOVING FORWARD TO ITEMS OF
BUSINESS, ITEM 1, WE WILL NOW
MOVE ON TO THE STREET SYNC
PRESENTATION AND MR. CLERK,
WILL YOU JOIN US AT THE VIRTUAL
TABLE AND PLEASE READ ITEM ONE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> BRIEFING ON SEATTLE'S STREET
SYNC PROGRAM.
>> NICE AND EFFICIENT.
WE ARE JOINED BY OUR PRESENTERS,
THE DIRECTOR, GENERAL MANAGER,
SEATTLE UTILITIES, DIRECTOR OF
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND IF THERE'S
ADDITIONAL SPU STAFF, COULD
FOLKS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND
INDICATE THEIR TITLE PLEASE?
IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY
ADDITIONAL PRESENTERS.
OKAY, BEFORE WE BEGIN THE
PRESENTATION, LET'S JUST DO A
BROADER ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS
FOR THE PREVIOUSLY NAMED
PRESENTERS.
I WILL TURN IT OVER FIRST TO
THE GENERAL MANAGER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. AS
COUNCILMEMBER ANDREW LEWIS
SAID, I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU
TODAY ON THE COUNCILS DIRECTIVE
AND I'M HERE WITH THE DIRECTOR
OF DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS,
I WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF
BACKGROUND, SOME OF THE ISSUES
WE HAVE WORKED TO ADDRESS IN
THE CURRENT PROJECT STATUS. I
JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS
WORK IS A PRIORITY FOR SEATTLE
PUBLIC UTILITIES AND WE ARE
VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE TO
SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT IT.
>> THANK YOU, I'M THE DIRECTOR
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, IT'S A PLEASURE
TO COME SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY,
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS
THE COUNCIL. THIS IS A PRIORITY
FOR THE DEPARTMENTS, YOU LEARNED
TODAY HOW WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH GRANT AND
CONTRACT STAFF, AND A LITTLE
BIT LATER, I'M GOING TO SHARE
AN OVERALL TIMELINE OF WHAT
THAT LOOKS LIKE AS WELL AS MORE
ABOUT WHAT THE EFFORTS HAVE
BEEN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MAY WE GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE?
THANK YOU.
AS YOU KNOW, WITH A
COUNCILMEMBER, MORALES'S
LEADERSHIP, THEY ADDED FUNDS TO
THE STREET SYNC PROGRAM IN THE
SEATTLE UTILITIES 2021 BUDGET.
THE GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACCESS
TO HYGIENE AND HANDWASHING
FACILITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN
NEED OF SERVICES.
THE COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION ASKED
SPU TO DEVELOP A GRANT PROGRAM
FOR FUNDING TO SUBMISSION AND
TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS.
WE INVESTIGATED THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE
HYGIENE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS AND WE
SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD ON
THE COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION AND
ADD AN ADDITIONAL MUTUAL AID,
COMMUNITY LED INNOVATION
CHALLENGE, THIS ADDITIONAL
COMPONENT DID NOT IMPACT THE
OVERALL TIMELINE FOR
IMPLEMENTATION.
TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS,
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
AUGMENTED THE $100,000 FROM THE
COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION WITH
$50,000 TO ADDRESS FOOD RESCUE
AND MATERIALS REUSED IN AND
MANAGEMENT AS SUPPLY DRIVES
SUCH AS, SUPPLY DRIVES OF
REUSED GOODS AND OTHER KINDS OF
RESCUE OF MATERIALS THAT YOU
MAY HAVE SEEN THROUGH MUTUAL
AID EFFORTS.
WE HOPE THIS WORK PROVIDES A
FUTURE PATHWAY TO OTHER
INNOVATIVE IDEAS, AS WE SEEK TO
TRANSLATE THIS COMMUNITY-BASED
IDEA INTO ACTION, AND TO LEARN
FROM IT IS MUCH AS WE CAN.
LET ME GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE?
>> ONE MOMENT, SO DO YOU HAVE A
QUESTION RIGHT NOW ON THIS
SLIDE?
>> I DO, MR. CHAIR.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS
SLIDE AND THE PREFERENCE THAT
WAS JUST GIVEN, WITH ALL DUE
RESPECT TO BOTH DEPARTMENTS,
THEY REQUEST IN THE BUDGET WAS
NOT TO EVALUATE WHAT ADDITIONAL
PROGRAMS OR SERVICES SHOULD BE
INVESTIGATED. SIX MONTHS AGO,
WE PUT FINDING IN FOR A
HANDWASHING FACILITY.
THE QUESTION IS, WHILE I
APPRECIATE THE COMMITMENT
WANTING TO SEE THE HANDWASHING
FACILITIES, IT WASN'T A
QUESTION OF WHAT TYPE OF DEBATE
OF STRATEGIES WE COULD COUPLE
THIS WITH HIM IT WAS HOW TO GET
THE DOLLARS OUT TO DO VERY LOW
COST, ALREADY PROVEN
HANDWASHING TECHNIQUES SO I
WOULD LIKE TO ASK, WHERE ARE
THE HANDWASHING FACILITIES AND
WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG?
>> WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO
RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS
THROUGH THE PRESENTATION
BECAUSE WE DO AIM TO DO THAT
BUT IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT
OF DETAIL. JUST IN TERMS OF
WHAT THE TIMELINE IS AND WHAT
WERE THE CONSIDERATIONS AT
PLAY.
WOULD THAT WORK FOR YOU?
>> I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK TO
THESE QUESTIONS IF THEY DON'T
GET ANSWERED, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, I THINK THAT
QUESTION SPEAKS FOR ALL OF US
ON THE COMMITTEE, SO I'M SURE
THAT WE WILL REVISIT THAT, AND
I APPRECIATE YOU QUEUING THAT
UP EARLY IN THE CONVERSATION.
OKAY, PLEASE PROCEED GENERAL
MANAGER.
>> OKAY, WE WANTED TO BRING UP
THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE OF A
COUNCIL BUDGET ACTION THAT HAS
GUIDED OUR WORK.
JUST FOR CONTEXT, THE KEY ITEMS
INCLUDED AS COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA MENTIONE, TO FOCUS ON
HANDWASHING HYGIENE AS A
PRIORITY AND A REQUEST TO
DEVELOP A GRANT PROGRAM TO
DISTRIBUTE FUNDS , AND ALSO A
DESIRE TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE AND TO DISTRIBUTE
EVENLY THROUGH THE CITY.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK ANDRES TO
ADD TO THAT.
>> WE DID WANT TO SHARE THE
PREMISE AROUND GETTING THE
MONEY OUT THE DOOR AS QUICKLY
AS WE COULD AND THEREFORE, WE
DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE NORMAL
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS,
OR EVEN REALLY A STANDARD
APPLICATION AND LATER I'M GOING
TO TALK ABOUT WHY, AS SEVERAL
OF THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT WE
SPOKE WITH, WE REALLY CRAFTED A
CONDENSED APPLICATION USING
CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY,
VERY FEW QUESTIONS WITHOUT ANY
FORMAT REQUIREMENTS.
SO, WE ALSO LOOKED BEYOND WHAT
THE NORMAL GRANT PROCESS WOULD
BE AND USE THE GRANT MAKING
CURRICULUM AND CONTINUUM THAT
SEVERAL COMMUNITIES USED.
SO, USING THE LANGUAGE THAT WE
SEE HERE, WE RESPONDED TO, WE
WANTED TO GET THE MONEY OUT THE
DOOR QUICKLY, HOW CAN WE LOWER
THE BARRIERS IN ORDER TO DO
THAT?
WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT
AND WE WILL SEE IN THE NEXT
COUPLE SLIDES IN TERMS OF HOW
WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE MOVE
FORWARD HERE.
SO, THAT IS WHAT I WILL ADD.
>> THANK YOU.
MAY WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE?
I WON'T BELABOR THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE SINCE IT IS NOT OF
INTEREST OR OF GREAT INTEREST,
BUT, THE RESULTING EFFORT OF
THE GRANT PROGRAM, THE SEATTLE
WATER AND WASTE INNOVATION
PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED, WAS
INSPIRED BY THE COUNCIL
DIRECTIVE AND BY THE ACTS OF
MUTUAL AID WE HAVE SEEN SINCE
THE START OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND THE EXAMPLES THAT WERE
INSPIRING WERE GROCERY
DELIVERIES, POP UP FOOD
PANTRIES THAT ARE SOURCED FROM
FOOD RECOVERY, AND LOCAL GROWERS
, AND THINGS LIKE PEOPLE
HELPING EACH OTHER WITH RENT
AND SOMETIMES CASH AID. AND
JUST FOR THE CONTEXT OF FOLKS
WHO ARE WATCHING, MUTUAL AID IS
DEFINED BY LOCAL SEATTLE
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR AS A
SYSTEM OF PULLING TOGETHER
RESOURCES AND PROVIDING
SUPPLIES, FOOD AND ORGANIZING
POWERS IN RESPONSE TO A CRISIS.
SO, WE WILL NOT BELABOR THIS
COMPONENT OF IT AND I DO WANT
TO STRESS THAT IT DID NOT ADD
TO THE TIMEFRAME TO ADD THIS
COMPONENT.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE
PLEASE?
>> YES, THIS IS WHAT I WAS
REFERENCING EARLIER, WE REALLY
TOOK THE LANGUAGE, THE
AUTHORIZING IN ENGLISH AROUND
PUTTING A GRANT PROGRAM THAT
REALLY HAD LOW BARRIERS, WE DID
GO THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL
PROCESS, IN FACT, AS MANY OF
YOUR OFFICES ARE IN
CONVERSATIONS, WORKED WITH
COLLABORATION WITH YOUR STAFF
AND CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL TO
IDENTIFY SOME OF THESE, HOW WE
COULD REDUCE SOME OF THOSE
BARRIERS.
WE HAD TO BALANCE THAT WITH
SOME OF THE COMPETITIVE
PROCUREMENT LAWS THAT GAVE ALL
ORGANIZATIONS THE CHANCE TO
PARTICIPATE BUT WE WERE VERY
INTENTIONAL IN MAKING SURE THE
FORMAT WAS AS LOW BARRIER AS WE
COULD, USING SOME OF THE
LESSONS WE LEARNED FOR SOME OF
THE OTHER GRANT PROGRAMS.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO, I DON'T HAVE TO SPEND TOO
MUCH TIME HERE BUT, ONE OF THE
PROGRAMS THAT WE LOOKED AT, AS
YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD
MATCHING FUND WHICH QUICKLY HAS
FUNDED OVER 500 PROGRAMS.
AND USING THOSE CONVERSATIONS
LIKE, DON'T MAKE THIS COMPLEX
WHERE WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF
DOCUMENTATION, WE REALLY WANT
TO MAKE SURE THE FUNDS ARE OUT
THE DOOR SOON AS POSSIBLE.
IN DIRECT RESPECT AS WE LOOK
THROUGH THIS AND WHEN THE MONEY
WAS ALLOCATED, I DO THINK THAT
WE HAVE MOVED AT A FAIRLY QUICK
PACE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE
HAD TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM AND
WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
>> ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A
COMMUNITY-BASED GRANT PROGRAM
THAT WE REFERENCED WAS SEATTLE
PUBLIC UTILITIES WASTE FREE
GRANT PROGRAM AND THE PROGRAM
IS OPERATED IN SOME FORM SINCE
2008 AND THE CURRENT ITERATION
BEGAN IN 2018 AND SINCE THEN,
WE HAVE WORKED WITH OVER 25
ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO
$325,000 IN FUNDS, AND ONE
EXAMPLE PROJECT IS THE REFUGEE
ARTISAN INITIATIVE, THEY EMPLOY
IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE WOMEN TO
UP CYCLES TEXTILE WASTE INTO
PRODUCTS THAT ARE SOLD LOCALLY
INCLUDING IN METROPOLITAN
MARKET STORES.
THEY HAVE ALSO MADE AND SOLD OR
DONATED 70,000 REASONABLE MASKS
FROM UP CYCLED TEXTILE WASTE
DURING COVID WITH SUPPORT FROM
OUR GRANTS.
WE ARE GOING TO GO TO TALK
ABOUT THE PROJECT MILESTONES
AND ANDRES IS GOING TO COVER
THAT.
>> JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE IN
CONTEXT OF HOW WE HAVE GONE
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AS YOU
KNOW IN EARLY FALL, LAST YEAR
WITH THE BUDGET PAST, SPU AND
IN CONSULTATION WITH US, WE ARE
PROVIDING ONGOING FEEDBACK ABOUT
SOME OF THE POTENTIAL
CHALLENGES AND IMPLEMENTING THE
STREET SINK PROGRAM, COUNSEL
PAST FUNDING AND SPU HAVE BEEN
WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPLEMENT
THE PROGRAM, STARTING BACK LAST
YEAR, PROVIDING SOME GUIDANCE
AS I MENTIONED ON SOME
PROPOSALS AND POTENTIAL
CHALLENGES IN NOVEMBER, THE CBA
PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL, INITIAL
CONVERSATION WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE
CLEANING HANDS INITIATIVES AND
OTHERS.
THE CONSULTANT TEAM WORKED
WITH, OR THE CITY TEAM WORKED
WITH EXPERTS ON ISSUES LIKE
WATER ACCESSIBILITY AND OTHER
CONCERNS, BUT WE ALSO CONTINUED
CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS, POSITIVE
ORGANIZATION CONVERSATIONS TO
MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THE
CHALLENGES AND WE HEARD THEIR
FEEDBACK AS TO WHY SOME OF
THESE CHALLENGES CAN BE
OVERCOME OR HOW THEY WOULD WANT
TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND IN MARCH, AND SEVERAL OF US
HAVE MET WITH YOUR OFFICES AS
YOU KNOW, ON DEVELOPING WHAT A
GRANT STRUCTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE
AND I TALKED ABOUT MAKING SURE
THE APPLICATIONS ARE REALLY LOW
BARRIER.
MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
CONSULTING WITH CITY EXPERTS
AND RELEASING APPLICATIONS UPON
MARCH 31. AS YOU HAVE SEEN,
APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN. WE
CONTINUE TO CONDUCT OUTREACH
THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE
HAVE WITH SPU, PROVIDING OFFICE
OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE
APPLICANTS AND APPLICANTS ARE
GOING TO BE DUE IN MAY, WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE A PRIORITY OF
CONTRACTING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
WITH THE FIRST DISSOLUTION OF
FUNDS COMING IN JUNE.
AND AT THE END OF THE INITIAL
PROGRAM, IN JANUARY, SO WE
ANTICIPATE SEVERAL APPLICATIONS
WHICH ARE DUE TOMORROW AT
MIDNIGHT.
>> AND AS WE HAVE COVERED,
THERE'S A TOTAL OF $150,000 IN
FUNDING AND $100,000 IN GENERAL
FUND DOLLARS BEING SPENT FOR
THE WATER AND HAND HYGIENE WORK.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
IN THIS AREA OF HAND HYGIENE
SOLUTIONS, AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW,
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
MAY LACK ACCESS TO OPTIONS TO
KEEP THEIR HANDS CLEAN AND TO
PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.
THERE ARE A RANGE OF SOLUTIONS
THAT WE HAVE FOUND THAT HELP
GET AS MUCH COVERAGE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, THAT INCLUDES
SANITATION KITS THAT DON'T
REQUIRE WATER BUT ALSO INCLUDE
SINKS WITH RUNNING WATER.
SO, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND A
LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT SOME
OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS AND
GOALS THAT HAVE GONE INTO
DEVELOPING THE STREET SINK
GRANT PROGRAM.
THIS SLIDE, THIS VERY TEXT
HEAVY SLIDE SHOWS JUST SOME OF
THOSE ISSUES.
PUBLIC HEALTH IS A PRIMARY
CONSIDERATION AND I KNOW IT
SEEMS A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE
BUT, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO GET
THINGS OUT QUICKLY, YOU HAVE TO
LOOK AT PUBLIC HEALTH
CONSIDERATIONS BUT FOR EXAMPLE,
A RECENT OUTBREAK AMONG THE
UNFILTERED POPULATIONS AND
SEATTLE HIGHLIGHTS THE
POTENTIAL FOR DISEASE SPREAD
VIA NOT JUST UNWASHED HANDS BUT
CONTAMINATED WATER, FOOD AND
SURFACES AND ALSO THE
IMPORTANCE OF SEPARATING WATER
FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES TO AVOID
CROSS CONTAMINATION.
SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY ARE
ALSO KEY CONSIDERATIONS, NOT
ONLY BECAUSE OF ADA GUIDELINES
OR AMERICAN DISABILITY ACTS
GUIDELINES, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE
KNOW THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS HAVE HIGHER RATES
OF DISABILITY THAN THE GENERAL
POPULATION.
AND, SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS
THAT WE NEED TO CONFORM TO OUR
THAT THE SINKS SHOULD BE CLOSE
TO A LEVEL SIDEWALK AND HAVE
EASILY REACHABLE AND OPERABLE
PARTS. AND THE FAUCET HAS TO BE
OPERABLE WITH JUST ONE HAND AND
NOT REQUIRE MORE THAN FIVE
POUNDS OF FORCE, OR TIGHT
GRASPING OR IT MEANS THAT
SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET
TO THE SINK VERY EASILY AND BE
ABLE TO ACCESS EVERYTHING THAT
WORKS EASILY AND THAT MEANS THE
DESIGN HAS TO REFLECT ALL OF
THOSE CRITERIA, THERE ARE MANY
MORE CRITERIA IN THE ADA
REQUIREMENTS.
IT ALSO MEANS THAT MAINTENANCE
IS VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE
THINKING ABOUT SAFETY.
YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE THEM
RELATIVELY EASY TO CLEAN AND
WILL REQUIRE DAILY OR EVEN MUCH
FREQUENT USE FOR THEM TO BE
SUCCESSFUL.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
INCLUDE RELIABILITY, DURABILTY
, AND ALSO ACCEPTANCE INCITING.
SOME OF THE CODES, SINCE THIS
PROGRAM IS NOW BEING
ADMINISTERED ON THE PUBLIC
SIDE, THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED
TO ABSOLUTELY CONFORM TO A TON
OF DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AND
GUIDELINES, AND THEY INCLUDE
THE CITY AUTO PLUMBING CODE,
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
GUIDELINES AS I SAID BEFORE,
THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
ACT, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
CONCERNS AROUND NOT JUST THE
WATER SOURCE AND MAKING SURE
THAT THE WATER SOURCE IS
CONTINUOUS, THAT IT IS RELIABLE
AND THAT IT IS ADEQUATE, ALSO
THAT IS THE INCOMING WATER,
IT'S ALSO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE
OUTGOING WATER?
AND HOW DOES IT DISCHARGE AWAY
THAT AVOIDS HUMAN CONTACT IN A
WAY THAT MIGHT SPREAD FURTHER
DISEASE THAN AS WE HAVE SEEN
WITH THE CRYPTO OUTBREAKS.
ALSO, DURABILITY, WE HAVE FOUND
THROUGH THE HYGIENE PROGRAM, AND
A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS
EXPERIENCES WITH PUBLIC SINKS,
THAT THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY
DURABLE, AND RESILIENT AGAINST
A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF
THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO THEM.
THEY ALSO NEED TO NOT PRESENT A
HAZARD IN ANY WAY, A TRIPPING
HAZARD OR ANY OTHER HAZARD.
I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED
MAINTENANCE, SO I WILL GO ON --
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AND IT
LOOKS LIKE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA DOES AS WELL.
THIS IS A HELPFUL SLIDE, I
APPRECIATE YOU INCLUDING IT,
CAN I ASK , AND THEN I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, ON THIS SLIDE OF
THESE THINGS WE HAVE TO
CONSIDER, WHICH OF THESE THINGS
ARE LEGAL ISSUES THAT ARE
BEYOND THE POWER OF THE CITY TO
RECTIFY? THAT WOULD BE LIKE ADA
COMPLIANCE, BUT MAYBE THERE'S
SOME OTHER THINGS.
MY SECOND QUESTION, TO WHAT
EXTENT CAN THE COUNCIL THROUGH
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION OR CODE
REVISIONS CREATE EXCEPTIONS FOR
TEMPORARY HYGIENE FACILITIES
AND THINGS LIKE THE SEATTLE
PLUMBING CODE FOR EXAMPLE.
OR TO WHAT EXTENT WOULD THAT BE
PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW?
THAT IS MY SECOND QUESTION.
MY THIRD QUESTION IS, HOW MANY
OF THESE THINGS ARE HIGHLY
DESIRABLE BUT COULD BE WAIVED
BY EITHER YOURSELF OR SOMEONE
IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT?
THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION ABOUT,
I WOULD IMAGINE THINGS LIKE THE
FREEZE PROTECTION WHICH IS THE
SEASONAL CONCERN, THAT WILL BE
RELEVANT DURING THE SUMMER BUT
CERTAINLY RELEVANT IN THE LATE
FALL AND WINTER.
COULD YOU MAYBE JUST ANSWER AS
TO THOSE THREE QUESTIONS AS WE
SIFT THROUGH THE CONSIDERATIONS
IN THE CHART, TO KNOW WHAT WE
HAVE TO OVERCOME AND WHAT IS
WITHIN OUR POWER TO SORT OF
BEND THE RULES A LITTLE BIT,
GIVEN THAT WE ARE IN AN
EMERGENCY.
>> WE CAN GIVE YOU PRETTY
QUICKLY A GOOD ANALYSIS OF EACH
OF THOSE LEVELS OF GOVERNANCE
AND WHICH ONES ARE OBLIGATORY
AND WHICH ARE JUST DESIRABLE,
BUT FOR THE GENERAL QUESTION
ABOUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO WAIVE.
AT THIS POINT I'M NOT SURE IF
IT'S NECESSARY IN ORDER TO
DELIVER ON THE PROGRAM SINCE
THE TIMEFRAME IS THAT WE WOULD
BE GRANTING BY THE END OF THE
MONTH AND CONTRACTING IN THE
BEGINNING OF JUNE. SO, IT MIGHT
BE THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING TO
WAIVE REQUIREMENTS OR FIND SOME
WAY TO GET AROUND THEM. IF THE
SUBMISSIONS DO NOT CONFORM,
RIGHT, SO THAT MIGHT BE
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS,
SO WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT
BACKGROUND INFORMATION VERY
QUICKLY.
>> SURE, I WOULD APPRECIATE
THAT, THE SUBTEXT OF MY
QUESTION WAS THAT I HAVE READ,
LIKE NATALIE'S COVERAGE IN THE
PRESS FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME OF
THESE THINGS IN THE CHART HAVE
LED TO THE CLEAN HANDS
COLLECTIVE POTENTIALLY NOT
BEING ABLE TO STAND UP THE
SINKS, WHICH OF COURSE WAS THE
COUNCIL'S INTENT HERE.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO THE
EXTENT OF HOW MUCH OF THIS IS
WRITTEN IN STONE VERSUS HOW
MUCH OF THIS IS PERMISSIBLE AND
I GUESS I'M FLAGGING IT FOR
CENTRAL STAFF IN THE LAW
DEPARTMENT IF THEY ARE WATCHING
, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE
ANSWERS AND I APPRECIATE YOUR
RESPONSIVENESS TO THAT.
SO, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF
QUESTIONS, DO THEY PERTAIN TO
THIS CHART?
I WILL CERTAINLY START CALLING
ON FOLKS.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ,
FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES AND COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
>> I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE
OBVIOUSLY HAVE A SHARED GOAL OF
MAKING SURE THAT OUR FACILITIES
AND OUR BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES
ARE ADA COMPLIANT. BUT LOOK
WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE LAST
YEAR FOR RESTAURANTS AND
OUTDOOR DINING.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT NOT
EVERYONE OF THOSE OUTDOOR
FACILITIES THAT I HAVE BEEN TO
ARE PROBABLY ADA COMPLIANT BUT
WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS A GOAL
TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY IS
ABLE TO SUSTAIN, THAT FOLKS ARE
SAFE AND ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE
TO GO. HANDWASHING IS PARAMOUNT
HERE AND I THINK THAT IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
TO LOOK AT WHAT THOSE OPTIONS
WERE, SOME THINGS THAT WERE
NICE TO HAVE.
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
IMPERATIVE TO HAVE WORKED
TOWARDS STANDING UP THESE SINKS
WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING MORE
ADA COMPLIANT SITUATIONS
BECAUSE NO SINK IS FAR WORSE
THAN HAVING A SINK THAT DOESN'T
MEET YOUR GRAYWATER SITUATION
IN ONE OR TWO PLACES.
PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE SINKS FOR
THE LAST SIX MONTHS, SO I'M
JUST BRINGING UP THE IMPORTANT
POINT, WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC
STILL, IF THERE IS TO BE
EPIDEMICS THAT CROP OUT OF
COVID OR FUTURE EFFORTS, WE
CANNOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF DELAY
AGAIN AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO
THE FRUSTRATION OF WHAT I'M
EXPRESSING, THAT THERE ARE
SPECIFIC STRATEGIES THAT WERE
FUNDED LEGISLATIVELY. AND NOW
WE ARE HERE SIX MONTHS LATER
TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT SORT
OF STRATEGY.
AND I THINK THAT A LITTLE BIT
MORE CREATIVITY IS NEEDED IN A
MOMENT OF A PANDEMIC WHEN
WASHING HANDS IS THE NUMBER ONE
THING THAT THE CDC RECOMMENDS
IN ADDITION TO MASKS AND SOCIAL
DISTANCING THAT COULD HAVE
SAVED LIVES.
>> DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT
COUNCILMEMBER?
>> I DIDN'T PERCEIVE THAT AS A
QUESTION. I SHARE THE CONCERN,
THE ISSUE ABOUT NO SINK, OR
HAVING A SINK IS BETTER THAN A
FLAWED SINK I GUESS IS THE LOGIC
. A LOT OF THE INNOVATIONS WE
HAVE SEEN WITH THESE KINDS OF
THINGS ELSEWHERE SO THAT THEY
ARE GENERALLY PRIVATELY RUN ON
PRIVATE LAND THROUGH PRIVATE
DOLLARS. AND I'M ALL FOR
INNOVATION AND OFFER TRYING TO
GET THESE OUT AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
IN THOSE SITUATIONS, IT WAS
VERY EASY FOR FOLKS TO WAIVE
ANY KIND OF CONSIDERATION OF ADA
OR PLUMBING CODES OR ANY KIND OF
PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDANCE OR
REQUIREMENTS. SO, I THINK THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE SEEN,
THAT HAS HAPPENED POSITIVELY IN
SEATTLE AND ELSEWHERE AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
FOR A GRANT PROGRAM THAT HAS TO
BE ADMINISTERED BY A PUBLIC
ENTITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF
REQUIREMENTS THAT WE NEED TO
ADHERE TO AS A PUBLIC ENTITY.
SO THERE IS THAT DISSONANCE AND
I UNDERSTAND THE INCREDIBLE
FRUSTRATION OF THAT DISSONANCE,
LIKE IT'S JUST PUT OUT A SINK
VERSUS WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT IS DONE IN A WAY THAT DOES
NOT CAUSE INJURY OR HARM TO
FOLKS.
OTHER KINDS OF HARM TO FOLKS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES .
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK
YOU TO SPU FOR MEETING WITH US
TODAY, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN
MEETING WITH STAFF FROM SPU AND
DOM FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE MADE A
LOT OF PROGRESS IN TRYING TO
WORK THROUGH THESE THINGS.
AND THEY ARE BUILDING A
FRAMEWORK FOR SMALLER GROUPS TO
RECEIVE FUNDING WHICH I THINK
IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND
APPRECIATED.
AND, I JUST WANT TO SHARE, AND
EXPRESS THAT I SHARE THE
FRUSTRATION BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
DESIGN CRITERIA, ADA CRITERIA,
MAINTENANCE ISSUES, NONE OF
THIS IS NEW INFORMATION
COMPLYING WITH REGULATIONS IS
WHAT WE DO AS A CITY,
PARTICULARLY YOUTH -- UTILITY
DEPARTMENTS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A
DISSONANCE AND I ALSO WORRY
THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STANDARD
UTILITY ISSUES WE SHOULD HAVE
ANTICIPATED AND COULD HAVE
WORKED THROUGH QUICKER. SO I'M
HOPING THAT WE CAN GET THIS
PROCESS MOVING, AND THE NEXT
TIME WE TRIED TO DO SOMETHING
THAT IS INNOVATIVE AND HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO HAVE AN ACUTE
PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT, THAT WE
DON'T CARRY, AS THEY SAY.
I'M GLAD THERE'S AN INTEREST IN
SUPPORTING MUTUAL AID, BUILDING
POWER IN COMMUNITY AND
INCREASING ACCESS TO RESOURCES
IS SOMETHING I'M TRYING TO DO
WITH PRECIPITOUSLY BUDGETING.
I'M GLAD THEY ARE INTERESTED IN
SHARING THOSE GOALS BUT THIS
WORK WAS INTENDED TO BE OUT THE
DOOR MONTHS AGO AND WE ARE
ENTERING THE FOURTH WAVE FOR
NOW I THINK OF COVID.
SO AGAIN, MY HOPE IS THAT WE
SEE A LARGE CITYWIDE NETWORK OF
SINKS WITH RUNNING WATER LIKE
THE ONES THAT WERE DEVELOPED BY
THE CLEAN HANDS COLLECTIVE AND
THAT OUR OFFICE FOUGHT FOR IN
THE BUDGET CYCLE AND I HOPE TO
SEE THOSE COME ONLINE AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR , THANK YOU
GENERAL MANAGER. I WANTED TO,
LOOKING AT THIS, THIS SLIDE IS
A VERY HELPFUL, AND THERE ARE
OTHER SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AND
LIABILITY CONSIDERATIONS THAT
YOU HAVE WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A
PUBLICLY OWNED UTILITY AND I
KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT
ON YOUR PLATE WHEN YOU ARE
TRYING TO RUN THE $1 BILLION
UTILITY AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON
THIS AND ONE OF THE THINGS I
WOULD FIND HELPFUL AND I THINK
WE MIGHT BE GETTING INTO THIS
LATER BUT, HOW OTHER CITIES ARE
DOING IT AND WHETHER THERE'S
ANYTHING WE CAN LEARN FROM
OTHER CITIES. THAT IS COMING UP
LATER IN THIS PRESENTATION I
BELIEVE.
>> YES, WE DO HAVE A SLIDE IN
CASE THE COUNCIL WANTED TO
DISCUSS ANY OTHER INITIATIVES
THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OTHER
PLACES. SO, WE LOOKED INTO A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
AND THIS IS WHAT I REFERENCED
BEFORE, THAT WE FOUND THAT THE
PROGRAMS THAT WERE ANALOGOUS TO
THE PROGRAM THAT COUNSEL IS
MOST INTERESTED IN IN TERMS OF
EASILY DEPLOYABLE SINKS MADE OF
EASILY OBTAINABLE COMPONENTS,
CONNECTED TO PRIVATE SOURCES OF
WATER ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
FOUND AS I SAID BEFORE THAT
THEY WERE INVARIABLY FOR THIS
TYPE, INVARIABLY PLACED ON
PRIVATE LAND RUN BY VOLUNTEER
ORGANIZATIONS, USING PRIVATE
WATER WHERE THEY WERE TAKING ON
ALL OF THE WORK AND RISK
PRIVATELY.
BUT, THERE WERE SOME PRETTY
PHENOMENAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT
HAD BEEN DEVELOPED BETWEEN
FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS ACTING AS HOSTS
WITH ALL KINDS OF FOLKS WHO
WANTED TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH
FUNDRAISING, CROWDSOURCING AND
OTHER TYPES OF FUNDRAISING AND
PEOPLE WERE VERY EAGER TO
VOLUNTEER.
>> JUST TO FOLLOW-UP, WITH
THESE OTHER CITIES, WHERE THERE
ISSUES FOUND WHERE THERE WERE
MAINTENANCE ISSUES OR THINGS
BREAKING OR GRAYWATER THAT WAS
DUMPED INTO THE WATERWAYS?
OR DID IT GO SMOOTHLY AND WE
CAN MODEL OFF OF THESE?
>> ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT
ALL OF THE PROBLEMS, I HEARD
ABOUT SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS
BUT MAY I CALL ON ONE OF OUR
STAFF PEOPLE TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION IF THAT IS OKAY?
IF CATHERINE MORRISON IS
AVAILABLE?
>> THIS IS CATHERINE MORRISON
WITH SPU, AND WITH OTHER
EFFORTS, WE FOUND SIMILAR
CHALLENGES, PARTICULARLY WITH
GRAYWATER AND HOW TO DISPOSE OF
IT SAFELY.
IN THE BOTTOM PICTURE, THIS IS
FROM ATLANTA, THESE ARE
SUCCESSFUL, THEY ARE NOT ADA
COMPLIANT, THEY DON'T HOLD A
TON OF WATER BUT THEY ARE EASY
TO MOVE.
SO, VOLUNTEERS ARE EMPTYING OUT
A COUPLE TIMES A DAY AND
REPLACING IT WITH CLEAN WATER
BUT, WE DID NOT FIND A MODEL
THAT ACHIEVED OR THAT OVERCAME
ALL THE BARRIERS WE DISCUSSED
TODAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, LIKE ALL THREE
MODELS, THEY ARE NOT ADA
COMPLIANT AND THERE ARE OTHER
CONCERNS WITH THE GRAYWATER IN
PARTICULAR.
>> THANK YOU, AND IS THAT A NEW
HAND THAT IS UP?
>> SORRY, THAT IS AN OLD HAND,
I WILL LOWER IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR INDULGING
THOSE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
LET'S KEEP GOING THROUGH THE
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, WE CAN GO TO THE
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, I WILL JUST VERY BRIEFLY
DESCRIBE THE SECOND AREA OF THE
GRANT PROGRAM, THE WASTE
PREVENTION SOLUTIONS.
THIS ELEMENT ADDRESSES, HOPES
TO ADJUST FOOD WASTE AND OTHER
MATERIALS REUSED, AND SEATTLE
HAS INCREASINGLY PRIORITIZED
WASTE PREVENTION AND REUSE AS A
KEY STRATEGY TO REDUCING THE
IMPACTS OF ALL KINDS OF
MATERIALS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
AND HUMAN HEALTH.
WE ARE SEEKING APPLICATIONS TO
HELP MINIMIZE ILLEGAL DUMPING
TRASH AND LITTER AND IT'S NO
SURPRISE THAT IT IS AN ISSUE,
THAT IS ACCELERATED DURING THE
PANDEMIC AND IT'S ALSO AN ISSUE
THAT PEOPLE NOT HAVING ACCESS
TO SUFFICIENT FOOD DURING THE
PANDEMIC, PARTICULARLY HOUSE
LESS FOLKS, SO WE WERE AIMING
TO TRY TO BRING THIS ELEMENT IN
THE SPIRIT OF THOSE WHO ARE
VOLUNTEERING ANYWAY AND TO SEE
IF THERE WERE OTHER KINDS OF
ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD HELP TO
COMPLEMENT THE OTHER SINK WORK
WHICH WE CONSIDER TO ALSO BE A
MUTUAL AID EFFORT.
>> JUST GOING TO QUICKLY GO
OVER THE SPU AND DOM
PARTNERSHIP, WHICH MANY OF YOU
KNOW IS CENTRAL TO THE WORK THE
DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WHICH IS
COMBINING WITH ARE MORE
OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
DEPARTMENTS WITH OUTREACH AND
ENGAGEMENT AND IN THIS CASE,
THE GRANT DEVELOPMENT AND AS
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
MENTIONED, BRINGING THINGS
LIKE SMALLER GRANTS THAT ARE
MORE ACCESSIBLE AND READILY
ABLE TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY
SMALLER NONPROFITS, LOWERING
THE BARRIERS FOR ACCESSING
OPPORTUNITIES. REALLY PAIRING
THE GRANT CYCLE WITH NOT JUST
AN APPLICATION BUT WITH ONGOING
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MAYBE
SOMETHING WE WOULD SEE AS A
PART OF NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING
FUND OR THE NEW HEALTHY FOOD
FUND.
I WOULD SAY THAT BRINGING ALL
OF THE RESOURCES AND
RELATIONSHIPS OF THE DEPARTMENT
AND NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH ALL
OF THE STAFF AND COMMUNITY
LIAISONS AND SO FORTH IN THIS
RELATIONSHIP, SO OUR HOPE IS
THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO MORE
THINGS LIKE THIS THAT ARE
COMMUNITY CENTERED IN THIS WAY
AND COMMUNITY INITIATED, AND
NOT JUST FOR SPU BUT FOR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
>> THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, I
APPRECIATE YOU INDULGING THIS
COMMITTEE AND LETTING US TAKE
THIS PRESENTATION HERE, KNOWING
THAT TYPICALLY SPU REPORTS TO
YOUR COMMITTEE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, I WILL OPEN
IT UP FOR QUESTIONS IN A SECOND
IF OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
QUESTIONS AND SOME OF THIS HAS
BEEN ECHOED ALREADY, BUT, I
WILL JUST CANDIDLY SAY THAT IT
IS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING,
SITTING ON THE BOARD OF HEALTH,
HEARING THE PRESENTATIONS FROM
BOARD OF HEALTH ON A REGULAR
BASIS ON THE HORRIFIC HYGIENE
SITUATION AND IN SO MANY
COMMUNITIES OF UN-HOUSED FOLKS
IN THE CITY THAT COULD BE
EXTREMELY EASILY PREVENTED WITH
ACCESS TO RUNNING WATER, AND
JUST BEING IN A POSITION WHERE
FEELS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF
HURDLES FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH
THE GOAL COLLECTIVELY AS A
COUNSEL, TO GET THESE STOOD UP.
I THINK THAT CHART EARLIER IN
THE PRESENTATION WAS EXTREMELY
HELPFUL AND SORT OF CENTERING IT
, AND WHERE I WANT TO LEAVE IT
IN THE CRUX OF THE QUESTIONS I
ASKED EARLIER WAS, I WANT US TO
LOOK OUTSIDE OF THOSE BARRIERS
AS BEING DETERMINATE IN A PATH
THAT LEADS TO LESS DESIRABLE
AND LESS EFFICACIOUS HYGIENE
POLICIES TO COMPLY SQUARELY
WITH ALL OF THOSE RELATIONS.
I WOULD RATHER LOOK FOR A WAY
THAT WE CAN WORK AS A COUNSEL
TO RESPOND TO THIS THE SAME WAY
WE HAVE RESPONDED TO RESTAURANTS
, THE SAME WAY WE HAVE RESPONDED
TO HAVING THESE MEETINGS
REMOTELY.
WE ARE MAKING ALL SORTS OF
TEMPORARY ADAPTATIONS TO HOW
WORK IS TYPICALLY DONE TO
RESPOND TO THE UNIQUE
CONSTRAINTS OF THIS GLOBAL
PANDEMIC, AND THAT GIVES US A
LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY WHICH WE
HAVE SEEN.
WE HAVE PUT MORATORIUMS AND
SUSPENSIONS ON EVICTIONS FOR
SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE HAVE CAPPED EMERGENCY
DELIVERY FEES, WE HAVE ACCESS
TO HAZARD PAY FOR WORKERS.
ALL THINGS HELD UP IN COURT
BECAUSE IT IS A PANDEMIC AND WE
HAVE SPECIAL EMERGENCY POWERS.
SO, I WOULD JUST, I'M LOOKING
RIGHT NOW AT THE SEATTLE CLEAN
HANDS WEBSITE, AT THE TOP, THE
STREET THINK MAKES HANDWASHING
EASY AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ANYONE
ANYWHERE, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE
SHOULD BE A WAY TO ADAPT THAT
TO MEET WITH INNOVATION WORKING
TOGETHER, TO ADAPT AND MEET THE
ADA REQUIREMENTS, DEFINITELY
HAVE TO DO SOME TROUBLESHOOTING
AROUND THE GRAYWATER ISSUE, IT
DOESN'T SEEM COMPLETELY
UNSOLVABLE.
THE CITY FOR YEARS HAS HAD RAIN
GUARD PROGRAMS WHERE PEOPLE CAN
INSTALL RAIN GUARD AND DRAINAGE
DITCHES IN NEIGHBORHOODS. I
BELIEVE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT
OF NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM.
SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A
LOT OF EXISTING SCOPE OF WORK
THAT THE CITY DOES IN SOME
PLACES, THERE COULD BE WAYS
THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO
FIND MORE FLEXIBILITY TO
ACCOMMODATE INNOVATIVE DESIGNS.
I'M SURE THIS COUNSEL WOULD
INDULGE REQUESTS TO WAIVE
TEMPORARILY ANY REGULATION
REQUIRED TO GET IT DONE. AND I
JUST WANT TO LEAVE US WITH THAT,
AND US JOINING YOU, AND HAVING
A PROBLEM-SOLVING ORIENTED
APPROACH TO THIS, AND I
APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION
AND BREAKING IT DOWN AND I
THINK WE KNOW WHAT SOME OF THE
NEXT STEPS ARE.
BUT WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT
UP FOR QUESTIONS OF COLLEAGUES,
IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING
BEFORE WE CLOSE THIS OUT. OKAY,
SEEING NO QUESTIONS, IF THERE'S
ANY CLOSING REMARKS FROM THE
PANELISTS, I WILL OPEN IT BACK
UP BEFORE WE MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
AGENDA ITEM.
COUNCILMEMBER?
>> I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, I
DID HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
INITIALLY, WE HAD $100,000 THAT
WERE AVAILABLE, PART OF THAT
WAS BECAUSE WE DID HEAR
CONCERNS ABOUT THE GRAYWATER
ISSUES AND ACCESSIBILITY SO WE
ADDED ADDITIONAL FUNDS SO
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COULD BE
PROVIDED TO THE ORGANIZATION.
AND WITH THE HOPE THAT THOSE
WOULD BE EXPEDITED. MY QUESTION
NOW IS, EVEN IF WE ARE LOOKING
AT 150,000, IF WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT DIVIDING THAT OVER A
SERIES OF SMALLER
ORGANIZATIONS, I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT SORT OF THE ECONOMY OF
SEATTLE, HOW ARE THESE
ORGANIZATIONS SUPPOSED TO STAND
UP THESE SINKS WITHOUT A LARGER
GRANT OF $50-$60,000 AS THE
ORIGINAL REQUEST? WHAT ARE YOU
ANTICIPATING IN TERMS OF THE
NUMBER TOTAL, AND HOW MUCH ARE
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS GOING TO BE
RECEIVING?
>> I DON'T KNOW THE FULL ANSWER
BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE
APPLICATIONS YET.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ONE
RESPONDENT COULD GET THE FULL
$100,000 ALLOCATED TO THE SINK
COMPONENT.
>> OKAY.
>> AND THE VARIABLES THAT WILL
INFLUENCE THAT HAVE TO DO WITH
THIS ISSUE OF FLEXIBILITY THAT
HAS BEEN STRESSED, IF THERE ARE
RESPONDENTS THAT ARE
NONCOMPLIANT WITH THE
REQUIREMENTS THAT COUNSEL IS
INTERESTED IN, TRYING TO FIND
SOME OTHER WAY.
THEN WE WILL HAVE TO DO THAT
WORK PACE BEFORE A DECISION IS
MADE.
SO WE ARE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU
ON THAT, IT MAY BE THAT YOU
MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN DIVIDING
THE 100,000 IN SOME WAY IN
ORDER TO FIND OUT IF, WHAT IS
MOST EFFICACIOUS THROUGH
COMPARISON. WE ARE AVAILABLE TO
TALK ABOUT THIS AT ANY TIME AND
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT TECHNICAL ASPECTS OR
ASPECTS OF THE GRANT PROGRAM
ITSELF, KATE MORRISON WHO WAS
JUST ON THE CALL IS ALSO
AVAILABLE, HER CONTACT
INFORMATION IS ON THIS SLIDE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER,
THAT MAKES ME HOPEFUL BECAUSE I
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT
GIVING FIVE TO $10,000 TO
ORGANIZATIONS AND ASKING THEM
TO WORK WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF
FUNDING IN TERMS OF WHAT IS
MOST EFFICACIOUS, I THINK JUST
SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, THE
BIGGEST PRIORITY THAT I HAVE IS
RECOGNIZING THE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE READY TO GO RIGHT NOW
VERSUS DOING THE COMPARISON.
SO FOR WHATEVER THAT IS WORTH,
I'M SURE YOU HAVE HEARD THAT
THROUGH OUR COMMENTS ALREADY
TODAY.
THE SPEED AT WHICH WE NEED TO
GET THESE STOOD UP COULD NOT BE
UNDERSCORED FURTHER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES , DO
YOU HAVE A CLOSING QUESTION?
>> JUST A CLOSING STATEMENT OFF
OF COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA'S
COMMENT, WHICH IS THE ORIGINAL
BUDGET WAS INTENDED TO BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE 63 HAND SINKS BASED
ON THE CLEAN HAND COLLECTIVE
MODEL, AND WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE POINT OF
THIS IS TO GET AS MANY SINKS
OUT AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE
CITY AND EVERY DISTRICT SO THAT
FOLKS ACROSS THE CITY HAVE EASY
ACCESS TO HANDWASHING
FACILITIES.
SO, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE
THAT BECAUSE THE POINT ISN'T TO
BUILD SUPER SINKS AND ONLY BE
ABLE TO AFFORD FIVE OF THEM.
THE POINT IS TO GET THEM OUT
THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO THE
FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO RUNNING
WATER.
>> I THINK THAT IS A GOOD
COMMENT TO CLOSE OUT ON AND
AGAIN, ALL OF US APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES'S
INNOVATION, AND THIS IS
DEFINITELY ONE OF THE THINGS I
ENJOYED WORKING ON IN THE SMALL
SUPPORTING ROLE BACK IN THE
FALL.
I APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION.
ANY CLOSING REMARKS FROM THE
GENERAL MANAGER OR DIRECTOR?
>> JUST THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF YOU ON
THIS PROGRAM TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND WE
WILL BE IN CONTACT ON THE NEXT
STEPS.
OKAY, ITEM IS THROUGH ON THE
AGENDA, WE WILL MOVE ONTO THE
SECOND ITEM, MR. CLARK, WILL
YOU PLEASE READ ITEM TWO INTO
THE RECORD?
>> A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION OF
SEATTLE'S HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH
AND PROVIDER ECOSYSTEM OR HOPE
TEAM.
>> THANK YOU, WILL THE
PRESENTERS PLEASE JOIN THE
VIRTUAL TABLE AND INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES, SINCE WE HAVE QUITE
A FEW, COULD YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND THEN PASS IT ON TO
THE NEXT PERSON IN YOUR COHORT?
I HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED WENDY
ENTER GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
PEOPLE DO THAT WHEN THEY COME
HERE. LET'S START WITH DIRECTOR
HOWELL WITH THE INTRODUCTIONS.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, HELEN
HOWELL AND I'M SERVING AS
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND I WILL
PASS THAT ON TO TESSA COLBY.
>> I'M THE INTERIM DEPUTY
DIRECTOR IN HST.
AND I WILL PASS IT OFF TO TARA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, TARA BECK,
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE HOPE
TEAM AND I WILL PASS TO DIANA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, DIANA,
DIRECTOR OF HOMELESS STRATEGIES
AND INVESTMENTS.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, NOW THAT WE ARE ALL
HERE, WHY DON'T WE JUMP INTO
THIS PRESENTATION, I CERTAINLY
HAVE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES HAS
ALREADY SIGNED UP TO KICK US
OFF AT THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION.
SO WHY DON'T WE JUST JUMP INTO
IT?
>> GREAT, GOOD AFTERNOON, AGAIN
HELEN HOWELL, INTERIM DIRECTOR
OF HST, THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY FOR HSD TO PROVIDE
AN OVERVIEW OF OUR RECENT WORK
TO SERVE PEOPLE LIVING ON
SHELTERED IN SEATTLE.
YOU WILL HEAR FROM THE
DEPARTMENT SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS TODAY FROM THE HOPE
TEAM AND HSD'S HOMELESS
STRATEGY AND INVESTMENT
DIVISION TO UPDATE COUNSEL AND
THE PUBLIC. HSD HAS BEEN AT THE
FOREFRONT TO TRY TO MAINTAIN
SAFE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS,
STARTING WITH LAST SPRING, THE
INTENSIFICATION OF OUR SHELTER
SYSTEM, THE STANDING UP OF A
TINY HOUSE VILLAGE IN THE
CENTRAL DISTRICT, AND THE
ENHANCED SHELTER IN NORTH
SEATTLE.
IN ADDITION TO IMPLEMENTING
PUBLIC HEALTH COVID-19 SAFETY
PROTOCOLS ACROSS THE CITY
FUNDED SHELTERS. SO FAR IN 2021
, DESPITE THE CHALLENGES
PRESENTED BY COVID-19 AND THE
VERY REAL CAPACITY ISSUES
FACING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS,
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT
HAS OPENED OVER 250 SHELTERS
SINCE FEBRUARY IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS. THE
HOPE TEAM IS TAKING REFERRALS,
GETTING 200 PEOPLE INTO THE
HOTELS SINCE MARCH. YOU HAVE
MET THE OTHER REPRESENTATIVES
FROM HSD SO WITH THAT, I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO TESTS TESS, SHE
IS GOING TO SERVE AS THE
FACILITATOR FOR THIS
PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, AGAIN I HAVE
TRANSITIONED INTO A NEW ROLE
WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT AND I'M EXCITED
ABOUT THIS MOVE AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN
THIS NEW CAPACITY.
TODAY WE ARE SHARING THE
PROGRESS MADE SO FAR TOWARDS
TWO IMPORTANT COMMITMENTS IN
THE 2021 BUDGET.
THE CREATION OF THE HOPE TEAM
AND HSD LED TEAM THAT
COURTNEY'S OUTREACH BY CITY
CONTRACTED PROVIDERS TO ON
SHELTERED PEOPLE ACROSS THE
CITY.
AND, THE EXPANSION OF THE
SHELTER SYSTEM INCLUDING NEW
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES AND HOTEL
BASED ENHANCED SHELTER WITH THE
GOAL OF MOVING PEOPLE FROM
ENCAMPMENTS THROUGH SHELTER AND
INTO HOUSING.
WE WILL START WITH THE HOPE TEAM
WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY
REDESIGNED THE RESPONSE TO
HOMELESSNESS IN THE FOLLOWING
KEY WAYS, THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS
TO COORDINATE OUTREACH AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH CONTRACTED
PROVIDERS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE
LIVING ON SHELTERED ACROSS THE
CITY.
AS A PART OF THE COORDINATION,
HOPE MANAGES THE REFERRAL
PROCESS INTO CITY FUNDED
SHELTER RESOURCES.
HSD NO LONGER LEAVES TRASH OR
DEBRIS MITIGATION, ENCAMPMENTS
AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY PARKS AND
SIDEWALKS ARE NOW PRIORITIZED
BY THE DEPARTMENTS THAT OWN OR
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
IMPACTED PROPERTY.
HOPE DOES SUPPORT THEIR WORK BY
COORDINATING OUTREACH TO THEIR
PRIORITIZED LOCATIONS.
HOPE ALSO WORKS WITH THE
CONTRACTED OUTREACH PROVIDER
TO COLLECT AND REPORT DATA.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
CONTINUES TO BE A CRITICAL
COMPONENT OF THE CITY'S
RESPONSE TO ON SHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS FOR THE ONGOING
COLLECTION MEANS WE CAN
CONTINUE TO MEASURE SUCCESS AND
TO TRACK TRENDS.
IT ALSO HELPS US TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO THE
NEEDS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND TO UNDERSTAND
WHO IS ACCESSING SHELTER, WHO
IS ACCESSING SERVICES.
IT SUPPORTS TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY.
ALLOWING US TO RESPOND TO
REQUESTS FROM COUNCIL OFFICES,
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE MEDIA
AND THE PUBLIC.
NOW, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
TARA BECK, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR
OF THE HOPE TEAM TO PROVIDE AN
INTERVIEW OVERVIEW OF THE WORK.
>> THANK YOU, THE HOPE TEAM HAS
SEVERAL IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS. AS
SHE SAID, THE FIRST IS TO
COURTNEY EFFORTS BY OUTREACH
AND SHELTER PROVIDERS AS WELL AS
CITY DEPARTMENTS.
WE DIRECT OUTREACH TO RESPOND
TO AREAS OF CONCERN AND
INDIVIDUALS IN NEED AND WE MAKE
SURE TO REFERRALS BASED ON
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUTREACH
PROVIDERS TO CITY FUNDED
SHELTERS.
WE PROVIDE ON-SITE SUPPORT FOR
OUTREACH PROVIDERS AT HIGH-
PRIORITY SITES WHICH ARE
DETERMINED BY CITY DEPARTMENTS
THAT OWN OR MANAGE PUBLIC
PROPERTY.
AND WE PARTNER WITH DEPARTMENTS
ON DEBRIS MITIGATION EFFORTS
THROUGH THE CLEAN CITIES
INITIATIVE.
AND AS SAID, THE HOPE TEAM DOES
NOT SCHEDULE OR LEAD ENCAMPMENT
REMOVAL OPERATIONS.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW THE
TEAM MANAGES THE SHELTER
REFERRAL PROCESS, FOR THESE SET-
ASIDE SHELTER BEDS, WE THINK
ABOUT THE STARTING POINT AS
BEING THE OUTREACH PROVIDER
úWORKING WITH AN UNCHARTERED
PERSON TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS.
THE HOPE TEAM PROVIDES REAL-
TIME SHELTER VACANCY REPORTS
FOR THOSE SET-ASIDE BEDS, AND
THE HOPE TEAM RECEIVES SHELTER
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUTREACH
PROVIDERS FOR AVAILABLE SHELTER
RESOURCES.
FINALLY, THE HOPE TEAM CONNECTS
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO OPEN
BEDS WHEN A SERVICE MATCH IS
MADE AND WHEN A SERVICE MATCH
IS MADE, THAT IS WHEN A
RECOMMENDATION IS NOW CALLED A
REFERRAL.
WHEN MAKING REFERRALS, A
PERSON'S VULNERABILITIES ARE
THE DRIVING FACTOR AND THE TEAM
ALSO PRIORITIZES RECOMMENDATIONS
THAT COME FROM THE CITY
DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED HIGH-
PRIORITY SITES.
INFANT -- THIS DIAGRAM
ILLUSTRATES THE REFERRAL
PROCESS I JUST DESCRIBED.
THEY IDENTIFY THEIR NEEDS,
COMPLETE SHELTER ASSESSMENT AND
SERVICE MATCH.
OUTREACH THEN RELAYS THE MATCH
RECOMMENDATION TO THE HOPE TEAM
. THE HOPE TEAM TURNS
RECOMMENDATIONS INTO REFERRALS
BASED ON HIGHEST
VULNERABILITIES AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HIGH-
PRIORITY SITES AND WHEN THAT
REFERRAL IS MADE, THE HOPE TEAM
SHARES THAT INFORMATION BACK TO
THE OUTREACH PROVIDER THAT MADE
THE RECOMMENDATION AS WELL AS
THE SHELTER PROVIDER THAT WILL
BE RECEIVING THE PERSON FOR
INTAKE.
FINALLY ON THIS SLIDE YOU WILL
NOTICE WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL MOVES
INTO AN ENHANCED SHELTER, THEY
ARE CONNECTED TO WRAPAROUND
SERVICES WITH THE GOAL OF
HELPING THEM EXIT TO PERMANENT
HOUSING.
>> CAN WE GO BACK FOR JUST A
SECOND, JUST FOR SOME
CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? UNLESS
THIS IS ADDRESSED LATER IN THE
PRESENTATION, COULD WE DIVE
DOWN A LITTLE BIT INTO THE
DEFINITIONS HERE OF RAPID
REHOUSING, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, HOUSING AND AVERSION.
JUST CONSTITUTING WHAT THOSE
RESOURCES ARE AND MAYBE ALSO
HOW MANY RESOURCES THE HOPE
TEAM HAS TO OFFER THOSE THINGS
RIGHT NOW?
THE
>> ABSOLUTELY, I'M HAPPY TO
KICK THAT OFF AND DIANA, IN
CASE I NEED A LITTLE BIT OF
YOUR EXPERTISE, I WILL ASK YOU
TO STANDBY.
SO, FIRST OFF, TO DO THAT QUICK
PRIMER OF THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN DIVERSION, RAPID
REHOUSING AND PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
SO DIVERSION REALLY IS A VERY
EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION THAT
HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
RAPIDLY RETURN BACK TO A SAFE
HOUSING SOLUTION.
THE GOAL OF THAT REALLY IS TO
HELP FOLKS NOT HAVE TO GO INTO
SHELTER, BUT TO ASSIST THEM WITH
MANAGEMENT AND SOME FINANCIAL
SUPPORT AS NEEDED TO REALLY
COME UP WITH A QUICK SOLUTION
FOR THEIR HOMELESSNESS
EXPERIENCE.
RAPID REHOUSING IS AGAIN ANOTHER
INTERVENTION THAT IS NATIONALLY
RECOGNIZED AS A BEST PRACTICE.
IT PROVIDES SOME CASE
MANAGEMENT ACCOMPANIED BY RENT
SUPPORT FOR FOLKS TO MOVE BACK
INTO HOUSING. TYPICALLY IN MANY
CASES, IT IS MARKET RATE HOW DO
HOUSING, BUT IN A LOT OF CASES,
WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT FOLKS TO
GET INTO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING
FOR EXAMPLE.
THE GOAL WITH THE RAPID
REHOUSING PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE
BOTH THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
AND THE CASE MANAGEMENT TO HELP
FOLKS STABILIZE IN THAT
HOUSING.
WE HAVE FOUND BOTH IN SEATTLE
AND KING COUNTY AS WELL IS
NATIONALLY THAT ROUGHLY 85% OF
THE FOLKS WHO GO THROUGH RAPID
REHOUSING DO NOT RETURN TO THE
HOMELESS SYSTEM.
AND FINALLY, PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WHICH IS A
SITE BASED HOUSING, WHETHER IT
IS A STABLE SITE SOMETIMES IT IS
IN JURISDICTIONS AND SOMETIMES
IT IS SCATTERED.
IT IS THE HIGHEST RUNG OF
HOUSING IN THAT IT IS PERMANENT
HOUSING, FOLKS MOVE IN AND
THERE'S NO EXPECTATION THAT
FOLKS HAVE TO MOVE OUT AT ANY
POINT.
AND IT COMES WITH WRAPAROUND
SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ARE
TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF THE
INDIVIDUALS.
TYPICALLY, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING SERVES A VERY HIGHLY
VULNERABLE, OFTEN CHRONIC
POPULATION, FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN
HOMELESS FOR AN EXTREMELY LONG
TIME.
SO, DOES THAT GET AT THE
QUESTION ABOUT THOSE THREE
INTERVENTIONS?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> GOOD, AND I'M SORRY, IT
TURNS OUT I CAN'T TALK AND CHEW
GUM AT THE SAME TIME, CAN YOU
REMIND ME ABOUT THE SECOND
QUESTION?
>> IT WAS MORE OF GOING INTO
HOW MUCH OF THOSE RESOURCES
HOPE TEAM HAS ACCESS TO BUT IF
THAT IS ADDRESSED LATER, WE CAN
BOOKMARK THAT FOR NOW.
FOR NOW, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT
MAKING SURE WE HAVE A BASELINE
OF DEFINITIONS SO YOU ANSWERED
THAT QUESTION SO I THINK WE CAN
MOVE FORWARD.
>> TERRIFIC, THANK YOU.
WE ARE GOING TO TRANSITION OVER
TO THE PRESENTATION BY --
>> SORRY, BEFORE WHEN YOU MOVE
ON, WE ACTUALLY NOTED THIS IN
THE AGENDA AS AN ADDITIONAL ITEM
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
READ IT INTO THE RECORD BUT
BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP
TO HOPE TEAM RELATED QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES , I PROMISED HER SHE
COULD GO FIRST SO I'M GOING TO
TURN IT OVER TO HER TO GET
STARTED.
AND IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO
RAISE YOUR HAND, I CAN PUT YOU
IN THE QUEUE, AGAIN, FOR HOPE
TEAM RELATED QUESTIONS.
>> I DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE HOPE PROGRAM, SO
THANK YOU.
I WANT TO START BY FIRST GIVING
A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO MY STAFF
MEMBER, DEVON WHO HAS BEEN
REALLY INSTRUMENTAL IN
SUPPORTING THE STREET SINK AND
HOPE PROGRAM WORK.
AND I DO WANT TO START BY
ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS, WHO CALLED IN TODAY
TO DEMAND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL
STOP THE SWEEPS.
FIRST I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
ENGAGING WITH CITY HALL, YOUR
ADVOCACY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND
I'M SURE THAT ALL OF THAT WILL
CONTINUE. AND, I WANT TO MAKE IT
REALLY CLEAR THAT CITY COUNCIL
HAS DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN
TO STOP ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS. I
WANT TO SAY TO THE COMMENTERS
úDIRECTLY, YOUR ANGER IS
RIGHTEOUS BUT IT NEEDS TO BE
DIRECTED TO THE MAYOR. WE CAN
FUND THE NEW PROGRAMS AS A
COUNSELOR, WE CAN FUND NEW
SHELTER, WE CAN FIGHT TO LIMIT
OR STOP THE SWEEPS BUT AT THE
END OF THE DAY, WE CAN'T FORCE
THE MAYOR OR THE DEPARTMENTS TO
FOLOW WHAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR.
SO, I KNOW THIS COUNCIL IS
EXTRAORDINARILY FRUSTRATED THAT
THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING
TO DO GET STYMIED. MY STAFF AND
MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SPENT MONTHS
BRINGING SERVICE PROVIDERS TO
THE TABLE TO GET THE NAVIGATION
TEAM CHANGED INTO SOMETHING
THAT WAS MORE HUMANE, TO FUND
SOMETHING THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO
BE DIFFERENT, THE HOPE PROGRAM.
ONLY TO HEAR THAT THE SAME
PROGRAM, THE SAME PROBLEMS ARE
PERSISTING.
AND EVEN THOUGH APPARENTLY
THOSE PROBLEMS ARE NOW SPREAD
ACROSS SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS,
THIS IS REALLY A TESTAMENT TO
THE POWER THAT THE EXECUTIVE
HAS AND HOW LITTLE REGARD THIS
PARTICULAR EXECUTIVE HAS FOR
OUR OWN HOUSED NEIGHBORS AND
FOR THE PROVIDER COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY ARE
BEING TREATED AND WE WILL GET
TO THOSE IN A MINUTE.
BUT I DO WANT TO SAY TO
COLLEAGUES IN THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH, I THINK THIS COUNCIL
HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR DURING THE
SUMMER AND FALL THAT WE WANTED
ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS TO BE AN
ABSOLUTE LAST RESORT.
WE HEARD FROM SEVERAL MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC TODAY, SOME OF
WHOM ARE OUTREACH PROVIDERS,
THAT SWEEPS ARE RAMPING BACK UP
AND WE HAVE HAD EIGHT THIS WEEK.
NON-CONGREGATE OPTIONS, THOSE
ARE ALMOST AT CAPACITY. THEY
SPECIFICALLY SAID TO THE LEHIGH
DIRECTOR, SHARON LEE, THAT THE
139 SPACES AT THE EXECUTIVE
PACIFIC HOTEL, 109 ARE FULL.
SO, WE ARE STILL IN A PANDEMIC,
THE CDC IS STILL RECOMMENDING
NON-CONGREGATE OPTIONS AND WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHY
WE ARE EVEN CONSIDERING
ENCAMPMENT REMOVALS WHEN PEOPLE
HAVE NO PLACE TO GO. WE WORKED
REALLY HARD AS A COUNCIL TO
FUND TIMING HOMES, HOTEL ROOMS
AND OTHER FORMS OF NON-
CONGRUENT SHELTER AND WE HAVE
MET RESISTANCE AT EVERY TURN
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT IS
WHAT NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY,
GETTING THOSE SHELTER UNITS AND
HOTEL AND HOUSING UNITS
AVAILABLE BEFORE WE EVEN THINK
ABOUT ASKING ON HOUSED PEOPLE
TO TRUST US IN GETTING THEM
INTO SERVICES OR SHELTER.
WE NEED TO BUILD TRUST AGAIN
WITH PROVIDERS AND WITH ON
HOUSED PEOPLE TO GET THEM HELP,
NOT TO BE PUSHING PEOPLE AROUND
THE CITY.
THANK YOU, I FEEL LIKE ALL OF
THAT HAD TO BE SAID AND I KNOW
I'M NOT THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER
WHO FEELS THAT WAY AND NOT THE
ONLY COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO FEELS
THAT WAY.
I DO HAVE SOME BASIC QUESTIONS
UP FRONT AND WE HAVE A FEW MORE
QUESTIONS LATER.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FIRST, WHO
DIRECTLY ENGAGES WITH
ENCAMPMENT RESIDENTS AND WHO
DOESN'T?
AND WHAT DOES THAT ENGAGEMENT
LOOK LIKE?
SO I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND
BETTER WHAT KIND OF ON-SITE
SUPPORT IS PROVIDED FOR
EXAMPLE, WHAT KIND OF
TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT, WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN WHEN SOMEBODY IS
ENGAGING IN PROVIDING THAT KIND
OF ASSISTANCE?
>> I'M HAPPY TO START THE
ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
SO, WHO ENGAGES WITH PEOPLE
ENCAMPMENTS ON THE SITE ARE
OUTREACH PROVIDERS.
SO, OUTREACH PROVIDERS WORK
DIRECTLY WITH FOLKS THAT ARE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN
THE STREETS.
THE HOPE TEAM PROVIDES SUPPORT
AT THE REQUEST OF THE OUTREACH
PROVIDERS IN HELPING THEM TO DO
THEIR WORK, SOME OF THAT
SUPPORT CAN INCLUDE HELPING
WITH REAL-TIME SHELTER
REFERRALS.
IT CAN INCLUDE HELPING TO MAKE
TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS FOR
FOLKS THAT ARE ON SHELTERED AND
IN ENCAMPMENTS AND SOMETIMES
CONNECTING THE OUTREACH
PROVIDERS WITH TRANSLATION
SERVICES.
SO, SIMPLE ANSWER I THINK TO
YOUR VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION.
>> SO IN THE BUDGET, WE HAD
EIGHT POSITIONS THAT WERE
FUNDED, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT
RESPONSIBILITIES EACH OF THE
DIFFERENT ROLES IN THE HOPE
PROGRAM?
>> THANK YOU, WE RECEIVED THAT
QUESTION FROM YOUR CENTRAL
STAFF AND HAVE PROVIDED THAT
INFORMATION BACK TO THEM AND I
CAN SAY GENERALLY, WHO WE HAVE
IN THE HOPE TEAM, THE SYSTEM
NAVIGATORS, TARA, SOME FOLKS
THAT ARE WORKING ON DATA. BUT I
WOULD BE HAPPY TO WALK YOU
THROUGH THE LONGER LIST IN MORE
DETAIL THAT WE PROVIDED TO
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> I CAN GET THAT LIST FROM
THEM AND WE WILL SHARE THAT
WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS BUT
MAYBE I WILL JUST GET TO THE
SECOND ONE AND THEN BE QUIET
FOR A MINUTE.
>> THE ONLY OTHER PERSON IN THE
QUEUE IS COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, SO MAYBE YOU CAN DO
ONE MORE QUESTION AND WE CAN
REFER TO ALEX FOR A FEW.
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
REFERRALS ARE MADE WITH
PROVIDERS WITH A GROUP
TEXTBASED SYSTEM WITH A LIMITED
NUMBER OF SLOTS.
AND THAT THERE ARE MAYBE MORE
OUTREACH WORKERS THAN THERE ARE
SLOTS AVAILABLE.
DURING THE BUDGET, COUNSEL
EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE CITY
TO ACT AS A FACILITATOR FOR
REFERRALS BY PROVIDING DIRECT
ACCESS TO THE TOOLS THAT THE
HOPE TEAM CAN USE.
CAN YOU TELL ME IF THAT HAS
BEEN CONSIDERED AND CAN YOU
TELL ME ANY OTHER WORK THAT HAS
BEEN DONE TO CUT DOWN THE
BARRIERS FOR OUTREACH PROVIDERS
TO WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH
SHELTER PROVIDERS?
>> THANK YOU, THE ROLE HOPE
PLAYS IS A CRITICAL ONE, AND AS
WE KNOW, THERE IS SCARCE
AVAILABILITY OF VACANCIES IN
SHELTERS, IT IS A VERY SCARCE,
VERY PRECIOUS RESOURCE.
AND BY SHELTERS, I'M INCLUDING
HOTEL BASED SHELTERS AS WELL AS
VILLAGES. SO, WE HAVE, AS YOU
NOTED, MULTIPLE AGENCIES IN THE
FIELD, ALL WORKING WITH
DIFFERENT CLIENTS, ALL
COMPETING FOR THE SAME SCARCE
RESOURCES.
SO, ONE AGENCY HAS TO MANAGE
THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN ORDER
TO ENSURE THAT THE CLIENTS THAT
THE OUTREACH PROVIDER PARTNERS
ARE WORKING WITH ARE MATCHED
APPROPRATELY TO THE SHELTERS
BASED ON ACUITY OF NEED AND
SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE
SHELTERS AND THAT REALLY IS A
KEY FUNCTION OF THE HOPE TEAM,
REALLY TO ADDRESS THE EQUITY OF
ACCESS IF YOU WILL.
>> IF I MIGHT ADD ALSO, THE
CHALLENGES WITH THE EXISTING
TEXT THREAD FOR SHELTER
RECOMMENDATIONS HAS BEEN WELL
KNOWN AND THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT THE HOPE TEAM HAS WORKED
WITH PROVIDERS ON, WE MEET WITH
THEM WEEKLY AND HAVE OTHER
MEETINGS AS WELL WITH DIRECTOR
LEVEL STAFF AS WELL AS DIRECT
SERVICE STAFF.
WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT
THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO
REPLACE THE TEXT THREAD AND ARE
GETTING READY TO FINALIZE THOSE
DECISIONS.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHICH
TOOLS TO USE TO REPLACE THAT
HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR OUTREACH
PROVIDERS. SO WE ARE WORKING
WITH OUR DATA ANALYST ON WHICH
OF THOSE WILL PROBABLY BE THE
BEST IN TERMS OF PROTECTING
INFORMATION OF THE CLIENTS THAT
SHARED AND GIVE US THE BEST
ACCESS FOR PROVIDERS.
WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON
THE DECISION THAT IS MADE AND
HOW THAT RULES OUT IN THE
COMING WEEKS.
>> WITH THAT, LET'S GO TO
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN WITH HIS
QUESTION.
AND WE CAN CERTAINLY PIVOT BACK
TO COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU, I KNOW EVERYONE
IS EAGER FOR THE MOST EFFECTIVE
SOLUTIONS TO BRING PEOPLE
INSIDE AND END THE SUFFERING
ON THE STREETS AND PARKS AND
IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE IN AREAS
OF POLICY, I JUST WANT TO
INFORM COLLEAGUES TO STRIVE TO
TREAT OUR CITY GOVERNMENT
COLLEAGUES WITH RESPECT AND TO
NOT QUESTION THEIR INTENTIONS.
I FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE WORKING
HARD AND IN A DIFFICULT
ENVIRONMENT DURING A PANDEMIC
AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM
TO DO THEIR BEST. AND THE
NONPROFITS IN THE FIELD FOR THE
WORK THEY ARE DOING TO GET
POSITIVE RESULTS AND ALSO, WHEN
WE REFER THE CITY COUNCIL, IT
DOESN'T ALWAYS INCLUDE ALL NINE
OF US, SOMETIMES IT IS A
MAJORITY BUT NOT NECESSARILY
ALL OF US.
AND THERE ARE DISAGREEMENTS IN
POLICY AND I'M HOPING WE GET
THE BEST RESULTS HERE, I JUST
WANT TO TAKE THE TEMPERATURE
DOWN AND TREAT OUR COLLEAGUES
WITH RESPECT.
THANK YOU.
>> AND COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA,
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
>> THANK YOU, I WANTED TO
EMPHASIZE THAT I REALLY SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES'S LINE OF
QUESTIONING AND I WILL REFER
TO HER FOR HER FUTURE QUESTIONS
AS WELL, THEY ARE VERY MUCH IN
LINE WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT I
HAVE, IN ADDITION TO HER
OPENING COMMENTS, I FIND THEY
ARE VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THE
SITUATION WE ARE IN.
THE CDC CONTINUES TO SAY THAT
WE SHOULD NOT BE SWEEPING
PEOPLE IF WE DON'T HAVE
CONGREGATE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
I FIND THE COMMENTS TO ALSO BE
ILLUMINATING FOR MEMBERS WHO
ARE PRESENT HERE TODAY AND ALSO
HOPEFULLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
ABOUT THE IMPORTANT ROLES THAT
THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH HAS TO
ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.
AND IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE BEING TRANSPARENT
ABOUT WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH HAS FUNDED AND WHAT THE
EXPECTATIONS ARE.
I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES'S LINE OF QUESTIONS
ARE RESPECTFUL, IN ORDER AND
VERY MUCH NEEDED FOR SETTING
THE CONTEXT TO WHY THIS HEARING
IS SO IMPORTANT.
ESTHER CHAIR, I APPRECIATE YOUR
TIME IN SETTING UP THIS MEETING
TODAY AND THE PRESENTERS AS
WELL BUT I THINK THAT ALL OF US
HERE ARE WANTING TO GET TO
THOSE SOLUTIONS.
I WILL AGAIN DEFER MY TIME AND
QUESTIONS TO COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KSHAMA SAWANT, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER,
SORRY, I'M NOT ABLE TO TURN MY
CAMERA ON. JUST ONE SECOND.
I REALLY APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER SPEAKING IN
OPPOSITION TO THE SWEEPS OF
HOMELESS COMMUNITY ENCAMPMENTS.
WE KNOW AS PEOPLE IN PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY AND BEFORE HAVE
SAID THOSE SWEEPS DON'T
ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE IN ANY
WAY, IN FACT, THEY CAUSE
ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS AND I THINK
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE HAVE SAID
CORRECTLY, THAT NOT ONLY DOES
IT INCREASE THE DEMORALIZATION
AND THE TRAUMA AND SENSE OF
DESPERATION AND ISOLATION AS A
HOMELESS PERSON, WHEN YOU ARE
SUBJECTED TO A SWEEP BUT ALSO
THE MATERIAL YOU END UP LOSING
YOUR BELONGINGS AND YOUR
RESOURCES AND THEY HAVE BEEN
PROVEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO BE
INHUMANE AND INEFFECTIVE.
WE HAVE SEEN THESE ISSUES
IDENTIFIED DURING THE PANDEMIC
BUT WHEN THE CALENDARS, WHEN
THE PARKS WERE SWEPT, A LOT OF
PEOPLE HAD NOWHERE TO GO.
YOU HAVE SEEN THE KIND OF
SUPPORT THAT THE HOMELESS
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE HAD FROM
THE HOUSE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING ACCESS
TO TINY HOUSES.
I KNOW THIS POINT IS GOING TO
COME UP IN THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM
BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT BELONGED
HERE AS WELL, SO I JUST WANTED
TO MAKE SOME OF THE POINTS
HERE.
I DON'T SEE HOW THE MAYOR CAN
JUSTIFY NOT YET SPENDING, NOT
ACTUALLY USING THE FUNDING THAT
THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET MOVEMENT
WON FOR NEW TINY HOUSE
VILLAGES, THIS WAS THE
ORGANIZATION THAT REALLY FOUGHT
FOR THIS, MANY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE INVOLVED
IN THE STRUGGLE, MANY OF THEM
WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN FIGHTING
FOR AND WINNING FUNDING FOR THE
NEW TINY HOUSE VILLAGES AND
IT'S EXTREMELY TROUBLING,
ALTHOUGH NOT SURPRISING, TO
HEAR AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE
POINTING OUT, MANY SWEEPS ARE
SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTH OF MAY
AND THIS IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE
OF HOW THE MAYOR SHOULD BE
USING PUBLIC RESOURCES.
THESE ARE PUBLIC RESOURCES AND
THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN LOUD AND
CLEAR, SO I DO BELIEVE A LOT OF
THIS RESPONSIBILITY LIES AT THE
DOORSTEP OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I DON'T AGREE THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL IS ON THE SAME PAGE AND
THAT ALL COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO
STOP THIS.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE,
LAST BUDGET, MY OFFICE
ALONGSIDE THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET
MOVEMENT, PROPOSED A PROVISO
THAT WOULD HAVE PROHIBITED THE
USER FUNDS TO CARRY OUT SWEEPS,
BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL
DID NOT SUPPORT IT.
SO I THINK THERE IS NO QUESTION
THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE BEARS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND AS
I SAID, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY IT
HAS TAKEN SO LONG TO SET UP
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES AND I WILL
SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT BUT I DON'T THINK CITY
COUNCIL HAS EXHAUSTED HIS
POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, I THINK
THERE IS A LOT MORE TO BE DONE
AND THERE IS A POLITICAL
STRATEGY TO FORCE THE MAYOR TO
DO THE RIGHT THING AND THAT
WILL INVOLVE ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES TO FIGHT
ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO
ARE THEMSELVES FIGHTING
COURAGEOUSLY AND I THANK THEM
FOR THAT.
BUT, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE
LATER IN THE PRESENTATION IS
THAT THERE ARE TWO NEW VILLAGES
EXPANDING, AND TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU, WE ARE HEARING ABOUT
THE MAYOR'S AGREEMENT TO EXPAND
THE VILLAGE FOR THE PAST 2
YEARS AND WHY THAT IS POSITIVE
IT IS BEING EXPANDED, IT
CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT BE
CONSIDERED NEWS, THAT IS NOT
ACCURATE.
LAST OCTOBER, LEHIGH ANNOUNCED
THEY ARE IDENTIFYING SIX NEW
VILLAGES IN ADDITION TO THE
EXPANSIONS SO WHY WASN'T THE
RFP ISSUED IN DECEMBER LAST
YEAR AS SOON AS THE BUDGET WAS
ADOPTED?
WHY IS IT ONLY BEING ISSUED NOW
AND ALSO, I WILL POINT OUT THAT
AN RFP SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED
BECAUSE THE CIVIL EMERGENCY IS
STILL IN EFFECT.
THAT GIVES THE MAYOR AUTHORITY
TO FIND HOMELESS SERVICES
IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT AN RFP, BUT
REGARDLESS, MY POINT IS THAT IT
IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A
YEAR TO GO BY WITH PEOPLE
SUFFERING IN THE STREETS,
SIDEWALKS AND PARKS WITHOUT
THESE TINY HOUSE VILLAGES BEING
ESTABLISHED AND I KNOW THAT
STAFF WILL TALK ABOUT SWEEPING
AND SO ON AND SO FORTH AND WE
SHOULD OBVIOUSLY MAKE NOTE OF
THAT.
BUT, I DON'T BELIEVE BOTH
TECHNICAL RESTRICTIONS OR
DELAYS WILL FULLY EXPLAIN IN
ANY WAY THE POLITICAL DELAYS IN
MY VIEW THAT ARE COMING FROM
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I WOULD ALSO, MAYBE ON THIS
POINT, APPRECIATE THE STAFF
WEIGHING IN ON THAT AS WELL.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL
THE COMMUNITY MENTORS WHO HAVE
REALLY SPOKEN SO CLEARLY
AGAINST THESE INHUMANE AND
INEFFECTIVE SWEEPS.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER MORALES,
WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO YOU AT
THIS POINT IF YOU HAVE A FEW
MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
>> THANK YOU, I HAVE A QUESTION
ABOUT THE HOPE TEAM ITSELF AND
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE PROVIDERS AND THE
CONTRACTING THAT IS HAPPENING.
SO, AS YOU BEGAN THIS
PRESENTATION, YOU MENTIONED
THAT HIGH-PRIORITY SITES ARE
DETERMINED BY DEPARTMENTS. AND
WE HAVE HEARD FROM PROVIDERS
THAT THERE IS THE SORT OF
INFRASTRUCTURE BASED SYSTEM TO
PRIORITIZE. SO I'M INTERESTED
IN HOW THIS APPROACH OF
PRIVATIZATION DIFFERS FROM WHAT
THE NAVIGATION TEAM WAS DOING
AND JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
HOW PROVIDERS ARE INTEGRATED
INTO THE PROCESS OF DETERMINING
AREAS OR POPULATIONS THAT NEED
ENGAGEMENT, IF THE FOCUS REALLY
IS NOT ON PEOPLE BUT ON PARKS
AND WHATEVER THE DEPARTMENT'S
ART DETERMINING SHOULD BE THE
PRIORITIES INSTEAD.
>> GREAT, SORRY, JUST TAKING A
COUPLE NOTES.
SO, FIRST I JUST WANT TO GO BACK
TO A COMMENT I MADE EARLIER
WHICH AS YOU KNOW, THE HSD IS
NO LONGER DETERMINING LOCATION
WHERE ENCAMPMENTS NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED OR REMOVED.
THAT LIES FIRMLY WITH THE
DEPARTMENTS THAT OVER THE
PROPERTY OR HAVE RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THOSE PUBLIC SPACES.
THE GENERAL CRITERIA THAT THEY
USE IN DETERMINING WHAT THE
HIGH-PRIORITY SITES ARE HAS TO
DO WITH SAFETY, HAZARDOUS
SITUATIONS TO EITHER INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE OUTSIDE IN ENCAMPMENTS
OR TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC FOR EXAMPLE IN
CONSTRUCTION SITES, BLOCKAGES
SUCH AS ADA BLOCKAGES AS WELL AS
ENSURING ACCESS TO PUBLIC SPACES
FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS.
SO, YOU ASKED ABOUT THE ROLE
THAT OUTREACH PROVIDERS PLAY IN
EITHER DETERMINING THESE SITES
OR IN SUPPORTING PEOPLE THAT
ARE LIVING IN ENCAMPMENTS IN
PRIORITY SITES.
OUR HOPE TEAM MEETS WITH
PROVIDERS ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TALK
THROUGH ISSUES THAT HAVE RISEN.
BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO TALK ABOUT
SCHEDULING OUTREACH FOR HIGH-
PRIORITY AREAS TO ENSURE THAT
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE
ON SITE AND TO WORK WITH FOLKS
IN ENCAMPMENTS IN THOSE
PRIORITY SITES TO WORK WITH
THEM AROUND SERVICE NEEDS AND
SHELTER NEEDS.
OUTREACH DOES INFORM THE
ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE SO THAT IS
A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT
THEY PLAY.
AND IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATION
AND PROCESSES, PART OF THE
REASON THAT WE HAVE THOSE
WEEKLY MEETINGS IS SO THAT WE
CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE
PROCESS THAT WE HAVE WORKING
WITH THEM.
>> MAY I CONTINUE?
THANK YOU.
SO, WE HAVE HEARD FROM SERVICE
PROVIDERS THAT SINCE JANUARY,
THE CITY FUNDED OUTREACH, THESE
FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING IN GOOD
FAITH ON THE HSD CONTRACTS WITH
THE PRESUMPTION THAT THEY WOULD
POSSIBLY BE SOME MINOR CHANGES
TO THE CONTRACTS.
úBUT WHEN THE CONTRACTS WERE
DISSEMINATED IN THE SPRING,
THOSE PROVIDER WERE SURPRISED
TO FIND SOME REALLY DRAMATIC
CHANGES TO THE REQUIRED
DELIVERY CARE SYSTEMS.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, REACH, THE
SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD,
UNITED INDIANS, MOTHER NATION,
SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE
CONTRACT LANGUAGE THAT WAS
PROPOSED THROUGH THE HOPE
PROGRAM. SO, CAN YOU TELL ME
HOW HSD PLANS ON REIMBURSING
THESE PROVIDERS FOR SERVICES
THEY HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED IN
THE FIRST QUARTER IF THEY
DECIDE NOT TO CONTINUE WITH THE
CONTRACT? AND CAN YOU TELL ME
WHAT PROCESS HSD WILL PROVIDE
FOR NEGOTIATIONS?
>> YES, SO I WOULD LIKE TO START
WITH YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHAT
THE PROCESS OF CONTRACT
NEGOTIATIONS HAS LOOKED LIKE.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BRAND-
NEW MODEL FOR HSD, WE ARE STILL
DOING A LOT OF LEARNING ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS TO SHIFT INTO
THIS NEW ROLE OF COORDINATING
COLLABORATING WITH OUTREACH
PROVIDERS IN THIS WAY.
WE ALSO ARE COGNIZANT THAT WE
HAVE AN OBLIGATION BOTH TO THE
COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC TO BE
ABLE TO REPORT OUT ON THE
ACTIVITIES BUT MOST
IMPORTANTLY, ON THE OUTCOMES OF
THIS WORK THAT WE ARE ASKING
OUR OUTREACH PROVIDES TO DO.
SO MUCH OF THE WORK WE HAVE
BEEN DOING DURING THIS
NEGOTIATION HAS BEEN AROUND
DATA.
WE ABSOLUTELY KNOW THAT DATA IS
HARD TO COLLECT. WE KNOW THAT
IT IS COMPLEX. WE HAVE
EXPERIENCE IN COLLECTING THE
DATA, WE KNOW JUST HOW HARD IT
IS WHICH IS WHY WE ARE
COLLABORATING WITH OUR OUTREACH
PARTNERS, WORKING TOGETHER ON
IT.
SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE
INFORMATION TO YOU, TO THE
MAYOR, TO THE PUBLIC AND MEDIA
THAT EVERYBODY EXPECTS. IN
TERMS OF REIMBURSEMENT, I WOULD
LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO
YOU ON THAT QUESTION, THAT IS A
GOOD ONE AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE GIVE YOU GOOD
TECHNICAL RESPONSE YOU ARE
ASKING FOR.
>> OKAY, AND MY LAST QUESTION,
SO WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS WITH
THESE CONTRACTS ON OUTREACH TO
ON HOUSE INDIVIDUALS AND THAT
IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT BUT WE
KNOW THAT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND
EVERYBODY SEEMS TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THE WAY WE ARE REALLY
GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM IS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS
HOUSING AVAILABLE.
SO, WILL THE PROPOSED CHANGES
THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED FIXED
THE SERVICE PROVIDERS ACCESS TO
HOUSING REFERRALS, INCLUDING
SHELTERS LIKE THE EXECUTIVE
TINY HOUSES THAT ARE MENTIONED
AND MANAGED BY THE NAVIGATION
CENTER AND WILL THE CITY BE
PUTTING ANY ENERGY INTO LONG-
TERM PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS
SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND
PLACES FOR FOLKS TO GO AND STOP
DOING THE FRONT AND OUTREACH,
STOP PUTTING SO MUCH ENERGY ON
THAT WITHOUT PUTTING MORE
ENERGY INTO THE SOLUTION HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
HOUSING IS VERY DEAR TO MY HEART
, SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER
THAT QUESTION FIRST.
ABSOLUTELY, WE ARE CONTINUING
TO INVEST IN PERMANENT HOUSING
THROUGH PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE
HOUSING, THROUGH AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR FOLKS AT THE VERY
LOWEST INCOME LEVELS AS WELL AS
DESCRIBED EARLIER THROUGH THE
RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM THAT IS
ATTACHED TO THE HOTEL-BASED
SHELTERS TO HELP PEOPLE EXIT TO
PERMANENT HOUSING.
100% AGREED, HOUSING IS WHAT
ENDS HOMELESSNESS.
YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE
REFERRAL PROCESS, AGAIN, I WANT
TO REITERATE THAT WE HAVE A
SYSTEM THAT HAS ON ANY GIVEN
DAY VERY LIMITED NUMBERS OF
SHELTER OPENINGS. THIS IS A
TESTAMENT TO OUR ABILITY TO
HIGHLY UTILIZE THE SHELTER
SYSTEM AND AGAIN, WITH SO MANY
OUTREACH PROVIDERS IN THE
COMMUNITY WORKING SO
EFFECTIVELY WITH FOLKS
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WE
FEEL STRONGLY THAT THERE NEEDS
TO BE A CENTRAL POINT OF ACTUAL
THE FINAL REFERRAL INTO THE
SHOULDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE IS AN EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION OF THAT RESOURCE.
I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP DURING
THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY WAS AROUND
NEEDING DATA TO IDENTIFY
QUESTIONS AROUND RACIAL EQUITY,
SOCIAL JUSTICE RELATED TO THE
WORK THAT THE HOPE TEAM IS
COORDINATING AND THE OUTREACH
TEAMS ARE INCREMENTING AND WE
COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHY
WE DO NEED DATA FROM THE FIELD,
FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE ENGAGING
DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE
IN CRISIS SO THAT WE CAN REPORT
BACK ON WHAT TO THE EQUITY
OUTCOMES ARE.
>> THANK YOU, I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR ANSWERING THESE
QUESTIONS AND FOR RECOGNIZING
THAT THEY ARE DRIVEN BY A DEEP
FRUSTRATION WITH OUR LACK OF
ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOME
OF THESE ISSUES, THESE ARE THE
PRESSING ISSUES AND ARE NOT IN
FACT DRIVEN BY ANY PERSONAL
ANIMOSITY TOWARDS ANY OF YOU.
I KNOW YOU ARE ALL WORKING HARD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THANK
YOU FOR THAT LINE OF
QUESTIONING.
CENTRAL STAFF WANTED TO MAKE A
CLARIFICATION SO I'M GOING TO
LET JEFF CHIME IN HERE.
>> THANK YOU, THIS GOES BACK TO
A QUESTION FROM COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES ABOUT THE POSITIONS ON
THE HOPE TEAM AND THEIR
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.
I HAVE INQUIRED ABOUT THAT BUT
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I SPENT SOME
TIME GOING THROUGH MY EMAILS TO
SEE IF I HAD A RESPONSE, WHEN
PREVIOUSLY ASKED ABOUT THIS, I
WAS TOLD THAT WOULD BE COVERED
DURING THIS COMMITTEE MEETING.
I'M HOPING TO DIVE INTO THAT AS
WELL AS THE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.
>> SO IF I MAY, I MISSPOKE AND
MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES, WE WILL
GET THAT TO YOU.
WE ACTUALLY RESPONDED TO ANDREW
LEWIS 'S OFFICE, SO WE WILL GET
THAT TO YOU.
MY BAD.
>> AND I DID GET THAT
INFORMATION THIS MORNING, SO I
CAN FORWARD THAT ALONG AS WELL.
OKAY, I HAVE A FEW ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO ASK
WHILE WE ARE STILL ON THIS. I
UNDERSTAND THAT THE HOPE TEAM
DOES NOT NECESSARILY POST THE
REMOVALS THAT HAPPENS WITH THE
DEPARTMENT THAT IS MANAGING THE
PARTICULAR AREA WHERE THERE IS
AN ENCAMPMENT BUT I WANTED TO
ASK, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, THE
OTHER DAY, THE HOPE TEAM WORKED
WITH JUST CARE, IN DOING
OUTREACH AROUND THE EMPIRE
SQUARE AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK
ABOUT THAT ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE
THERE WAS NO REMOVAL POSTED.
THE OUTREACH WORKERS ENGAGED
WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE LIVING
THERE.
PEOPLE WERE OFFERED RESOURCES
AND HOUSING AND ACCESS TO THAT
KIND OF A PLACEMENT.
PEOPLE WERE OFFERED A PLACE TO
GO, THEY LEFT, THERE WAS NO
NEED TO DO A POSTING AND
EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH
A POSTING. SO I GUESS I JUST
WANTED TO ASK A GENERAL QUESTION
BASED ON THE SUCCESS OF THAT
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE HOPE
TEAM AND JUST CARE, POTENTIALLY
EXPLORING HOW GOING FORWARD, WE
COULD USE THAT ALTERNATIVE FORM
INSTEAD OF USING A POST AND
THEN REMOVE MODEL, INSTEAD
HAVING A WELL RESOURCED
ENGAGEMENT MODEL THAT RESULTS
IN PEOPLE GETTING WHERE THEY
NEED TO GO.
THAT RESULTS IN PEOPLE BEING
CLEARED AND EXPANDING ON IF
THERE IS MORE COORDINATION, AND
JUST WONDERING IF SOMEBODY
COULD JUMP ON THAT AND EXPAND A
LITTLE BIT.
>> I CAN GIVE YOU A GENERAL
STATEMENT THAT THE HOPE TEAM
HAS WORKED WITH JUST CARE IN A
NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WHERE THEY
HAVE ENGAGED FOLKS THAT ARE IN
ENCAMPMENTS.
I CONFESS TO YOU, I DO NOT KNOW
THE SPECIFICS OF THE
COLLABORATION YOU'RE DESCRIBING
AND I WILL WORK WITH TARA AND
HER TEAM TO GET BACK TO YOU
WITH MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
>> OKAY, I APPRECIATE IT, IT
JUST SEEMS LIKE IT OFFERS A
GOOD PRECEDENT BECAUSE I HAVE
HEARD CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY
FROM A LOT OF PROPERTY OWNERS IN
PIONEER SQUARE ON PERCEPTION,
BECAUSE WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE
IMPACT THAT A LOT OF THESE
REMOVAL OPERATIONS HAVE IN THE
PLACE WHERE ON THE FOLKS THAT
ARE LIVING THERE, BUT I HAVE
ALSO STARTED GETTING COMPLAINTS
FOR THE FIRST TIME AS WELL FROM
PROPERTY OWNERS AND MANAGERS
THAT REMOVAL IN OTHER PARTS OF
THE CITY ARE LEADING TO PEOPLE
BEING DISPLACED INTO THE CENTER
OF THE CITY.
I'M NOT RAISING THAT TO
HIGHLIGHT THEIR NEED ABOVE THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING THERE, I
GUESS I'M JUST HIGHLIGHTING
THAT AS A NEW CONCERN THAT I'M
HEARING IN THE CASE IS WHEN
THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE
DISPLACED FOR REMOVALS, THEY
ARE GOING SOMEWHERE.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE JUST
DISAPPEARING. SO I WONDER, IS
THERE ANYWHERE IN HOW THE HOPE
TEAM OPERATES CURRENTLYOR IN
THE FUTURE OF TRACKING AND
PLANNING FOR DISPLACEMENT FROM
POSTED REMOVALS OR AT LEAST
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THE
DISPLACEMENT? NOT JUST ON THE
IMPACTS TO THE INDIVIDUALS BUT
THE ANTICIPATED IMPACT TO OTHER
NEIGHBORS IN THE BROADER
COMMUNITY AS WELL BECAUSE IT
SEMS TO BE A MATTER OF GROWING
CONCERN WHEN I TALK TO
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUSINESS
OWNERS AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO
ARE SERVICE PROVIDERS AND
ADVOCATES IN MUTUAL AID WORKERS.
>> THAT IS A TERRIFIC EXAMPLE
OF THE KIND OF ANALYSIS OF DATA
THAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO WHICH
IS WHY WE ARE ENGAGING SO
CLOSELY WITH OUR OUTREACH
PARTNERS WHO ARE IN THE FIELD,
WHO ARE WORKING WITH FOLKS WHO
ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
TO GATHER SUFFICIENT DATA SO WE
CAN BEGIN TO DO THAT KIND OF
NUANCED ANALYSIS.
I'M SO GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
>> YOU CAN DEFINITELY EXPECT MY
OFFICE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT
BECAUSE, I THINK WE MIGHT AS
WELL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR
NOW.
BUT IT'S NOT A NEW ISSUE SO
GOING FORWARD, DEFINITELY EXPECT
THAT THIS COMMITTEE IS GOING TO
WANT TO ADDRESS.
WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY
FINAL QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU, ONE SECOND.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I WANTED TO EXTRAPOLATE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT BECAUSE
IT'S NOT LIKE WE NEED DATA TO
PROVE THAT YOU COAST POST A
SIGN OF REMOVAL, PEOPLE MOVE
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THAT IS A
PART OF THE CDC GUIDANCE, DON'T
PUT THE SIGN UP DURING A
PANDEMIC.
I WANT TO ASK THREE SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS THAT HAVE IN SOME
WAYS BEEN ASKED ALREADY BUT TO
TRY TO HEAR MORE OF A FINITE
TIMELINE.
WILL YOU NOT POST WITH OUTREACH
WORKERS, BECAUSE AS WE HEARD
ABOUT, MANY OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT IF WE JUST
HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, WE
COULD HAVE GOTTEN EVERYBODY
INTO THE HOUSING AND THERE IS A
BOTTLENECK OF GETTING FOLKS
INTO THOSE AVAILABLE ROOMS NOW,
WE NEEDED MORE TIME, THE POST
WENT UP AND CAUSED PEOPLE TO
SCATTER.
NUMBER ONE, WE NEED MORE TIME
AND IDEALLY, NOT EVEN HAVING
THOSE, THAT COVERS THE POLICY
DIRECTIVE THAT ANDREW LEWIS WAS
LEANING TOO.
>> THEY NEED A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE
COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECAUSE IT
IS DEFINITELY NOT ENOUGH TIME.
>> I APOLOGIZE, YOU ARE CUTTING
IN AND OUT, SHALL I ANSWER THAT
FIRST QUESTION?
I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD.
SO, JUST AS A QUICK REMINDER,
WE DON'T DO THE POSTING AND WE
DON'T AGAIN IDENTIFY WHICH ARE
THE SITES THAT NEED TO BE
POSTED.
WE DO HOWEVER WORK VERY CLOSELY
WITH THE OUTREACH PROVIDERS ON
SCHEDULING OUT OUTREACH.
I THINK MAYBE AN EXAMPLE OF
THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL AND I
WOULD LIKE TO ASK TARA IF SHE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE A LITTLE
BIT OF AN EXAMPLE FROM MILLER
PARK IN TERMS OF HOW THAT
ENGAGEMENT ULTIMATELY WORKED.
>> MILLER PARK WAS A REALLY
GOOD SUCCESS STORY OF
COLLABORATION BETWEEN HOPE AND
THE OUTREACH PROVIDERS. MILLER
PARK WAS DESIGNATED HIGH
PRIORITY BY SPR ON MARCH 31.
BUT, WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE
WERE WORKING WITH OUTREACH
PROVIDERS AND OUTREACH WAS ON
THE GROUND, AND REALLY THEY
HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR A
LONG TIME BUT THERE WAS SOME
CORE NEEDED EFFORTS HAPPENING
WELL IN ADVANCE OF 31 MARCH.
OUT OF THE PRE-OUTREACH PRIOR
TO THAT PARKS REMOVAL, WE HAD
46 REFERRALS TO SHELTER THAT
WERE MADE BY OUR OUTREACH
PARTNERS. THAT IS SIGNIFICANT
AND A MAJORITY OF THOSE
REFERRALS WERE INTO THE
EXECUTIVE HOTEL PACIFIC WHICH
AGAIN IS NON-CONGREGATE WHICH
IS A PRIORITY DURING COVID.
WE HAD REALLY STRONG
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN REACH,
URBAN LEAGUE AND THE HOPE TEAM.
WE HAD 46 REFERRALS TO SHELTER
OUT OF MILLER PARK AND WE ARE
AWARE OF SIX INDIVIDUALS THAT
DID NOT WANT TO ACCEPT SHELTER
AND VOLUNTARILY RELOCATED TO A
PLACE OF THEIR CHOOSING.
SO, THAT IS THE KIND OF WORK
THAT WE ARE HOPING TO REPLICATE
, THE HOPE KEEP TEAM BRINGS
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE
LENGTH OF OUTREACH AND AGAIN,
WE DO NOT SCHEDULE AND WE DO
NOT, WE ARE NOT THE FINAL
DECIDERS BUT WE DEFINITELY
ELEVATE FOR THAT CONSIDERATION.
>> DID YOU HAVE MORE THAT GOT
CUT OFF AT THE END?
>> YES, I'M SORRY IF I WAS CUT
OFF AT THE END.
BUT SAYING, WE DON'T DO IT, THE
PUBLIC SEES WE ASKED THE CITY,
HSD DOESN'T DO IT, IT IS STILL
A CITY POSTING THAT IS GOING UP.
SO I'M ASKING ABOUT A CITYWIDE
POLICY THAT COULD BE MORE
THOUGHTFUL AND GIVE A LONGER
LEAD WAY FOR ORGANIZATIONS ON
THE GROUND LEVEL II DO THE
WORK, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE TIME SO THAT THE
BOTTLENECK WE ARE HEARING ABOUT
WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING
INTO THE HOTELS THAT THEY WANT
BECAUSE OF THE BOTTLENECK IS
ADDRESSED.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET
INSIDE, THEY DON'T WANT TO
RETURN TO CONGREGATE SHELTERS.
WHERE THEY UNDERSTAND THE
DANGERS DURING COVID SO I THINK
THE ANSWER NEEDS TO NOT BE,
WELL IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN
IN OUR DEPARTMENT, THE ANSWER
IS, WE NEED A CITYWIDE REVAMP
POLICY ABOUT HOW LONG WE ARE
ALLOWING OR GIVING COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TO DO THE WORK AND
IDEALLY NOT HAVING A POSTING AT
ALL BECAUSE THAT IS COSTING
HARM RIGHT NOW, MUCH HARDER TO
FIND FOLKS, MUCH HARDER TO GET
THEM INTO THE HOUSING AND
HEALTH SERVICES THAT THEY NEED
IF THEY HAVE BEEN SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT THE CITY BECAUSE OF
FEAR OF THOSE POSTS.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER, I
ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND WHAT
YOU'RE ASKING FOR. I APPRECIATE
IT.
>> OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER
GONZALES, DO YOU HAVE A
QUESTION?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, A COUPLE
OF QUESTIONS. THE FIRST ONE IS
AROUND THE PHRASE HIGH PRIORITY
, AND I HAVE HEARD YOU ALL USE
THE PHRASE HIGH PRIORITY AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS NOW BEING
IDENTIFIED, THE PERSON WHO
TRIGGERS WHETHER OR NOT A
PUBLICLY OWNED PIECE OF PROPERTY
IS CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITY IS
NOW DETERMINED BY THE IMPACTED
DEPARTMENT. WHAT I HAVEN'T
QUITE HEARD YET IS HOW WE ARE
DEFINING HIGH PRIORITY, HOW
DOES THAT HAPPEN?
IF I'M AN EMPLOYEE, OR THE
DIRECTOR OR THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF THE SEATTLE PARKS AND
RECREATION DEPARTMENT, HOW DO I
KNOW WHAT FALLS INTO HIGH
PRIORITY?
HOW DO I DESIGNATE A PUBLICLY
OWNED PIECE OF PROPERTY AS A
HIGH PRIORITY AREA FOR FOCUS OF
RESOURCES?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO WHAT
I INDICATED EARLIER WHICH IS,
THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS MAKE
THAT DECISION AND GENERALLY
SPEAKING, AS I SAID BEFORE,
THEY USE CRITERIA RELATED TO
SAFETY, TO HAZARDS, TO ACCESS
AS THEIR GUIDING POSTS.
BUT FRANKLY, WE WOULD NEED TO
HAVE THE PARKS, SDOT, CITY
LIGHTS, ANSWER THE QUESTION
ABOUT WHAT SPECIFIC PROCESS
THEY GO THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY TO
IDENTIFY THEIR SITES AS BEING
HIGH-PRIORITY.
>> IF I TAKE YOUR ANSWER TO ITS
LOGICAL CONCLUSION, THAT MEANS
THAT EACH DEPARTMENT DOES IT
DIFFERENTLY.
>> I CAN'T ANSWER WHETHER EACH
ONE DOES IT DIFFERENTLY, AGAIN,
THERE'S STANDARD CRITERIA BUT
THE DISCERNMENT PROCESS, I
TRULY DON'T KNOW. IT ISN'T THAT
I CAN'T ANSWER, I TRULY DO NOT
KNOW WHAT THE NUANCE PROCESSES
THAT EACH ONE GOES THROUGH.
I WILL SAY THERE IS A WEEKLY
MEETING WHERE ALL OF THE
PROPERTY OWNING DEPARTMENTS
COME TOGETHER AND THEY TALK
ABOUT THEIR PRIORITY SITES AND
THEY DO THAT IN A WAY THAT
ALLOWS FOR SCHEDULING, THAT
INFORMS THE WORK THAT THE HOPE
TEAM DOES AROUND ENGAGING
PROVIDERS TO DO OUTREACH.
>> OKAY, SO WHAT I'M HEARING
YOU SAY IS THAT HSD AND THE
HOPE TEAM DOES NOT PLAY A ROLE
IN THE DEPARTMENT'S
DETERMINATION AS TO WHICH
PUBLICLY OWNED SITE GOES FROM
STATUS QUO TO HIGH-PRIORITY?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> OKAY, AND IF YOU KNOW THE
ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, AND IF
YOU DON'T, THAT'S FINE, BUT IN
TERMS OF SETTING ASIDE THE
NUANCED PROCESS OF HOW
SOMETHING BECOMES A HIGH
PRIORITY, DOES HSD OR THE HOPE
TEAM HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT THE BROAD CRITERIA IS,
THAT LEADS TO THE DEFINITION OF
A HIGH PRIORITY AREA?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
THE BROAD CRITERIA IS HAZARDS
TO PEOPLE OR TO CITY
INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THERE'S THAT
SAFETY ISSUE AGAIN.
IT IS WHETHER OR NOT AN
ENCAMPMENT MIGHT BE IMPEDING A
CITY CONSTRUCTION OR
MAINTENANCE PROJECT.
AGAIN, ALSO, SORT OF HAZARD TO
INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT SENSE.
WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS AN ADA
BLOCKAGE, WHETHER THERE IS
SIGNIFICANT BLOCKAGE OR
OBSTRUCTION TO PUBLIC SPACES
LIKE PARKS, SUCH THAT ALL
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE NOT ABLE
TO ACCESS THEM.
SO THOSE ARE THE FOUR HIGH-
LEVEL KEY CRITERIA THAT IS USED
. THANK YOU, AND IS THAT COMING
FROM THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY
ADMINISTRATIVE RULES OR
SOMEWHERE ELSE?
>> IT IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT IS
IN THE MDAR'S , BUT IT IS ALL
THE WORK THAT IS AROUND BOTH
IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING
ENCAMPMENTS, ALL CONSISTENT
WITH THE MDAR'S .
>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE SECOND QUESTION I HAVE IS
SLIGHTLY RELATED BUT MAYBE NOT.
BUT, I WANT TO GET A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ROLE, IF
ANY DOES THE HOPE TEAM PLAY IN
COMMUNICATING TO RESIDENTS IN
THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
REGARD TO A SITE THAT IS
PUBLICLY OWNED THAT CURRENTLY
HAS PEOPLE CAMPING OUT OR LIVING
WITHIN.
>> SO, THE HOPE TEAM DOES NOT
HAVE THAT DIRECT RELATIONSHIP
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITH
NEIGHBORHOODS OR THE
BUSINESSES.
HOWEVER, WE ARE LUCKY TO BE
PARTNERING WITH AGENCIES AND
THE URBAN LEAGUE, LIKE REACH,
THAT HAVE VERY STRONG
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR.
AND IN PARTICULAR, REACH HAS
DESIGNATED FOLKS THAT ARE
WORKING IN SPECIFIC
COMMUNITIES, UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT FOR EXAMPLE CAPITOL
HILL, THEY DO A LOT OF THAT
WORK IN COMMUNITY WITH
NEIGHBORS AND BUSINESSES AROUND
THE QUESTION OF UN-SHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS.
>> THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
I WAS REALLY PROUD TO SPONSOR
AND SUPPORT, WHICH IS THE
HOMELESSNESS OUTREACH LIAISON,
GENERALLY HOUSED WITHIN PRE-
EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS AND
OTHER COMMERCIAL NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICTS.
MY QUESTION IS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT THAN THAT BECAUSE I
UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PROGRAM
FUNCTIONS AND I THINK IT IS
VERY WELL RECEIVED AND WELCOMED
IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. MY
QUESTION IS REALLY MORE ABOUT
FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
DON'T HAVE THE BIAS OR THE
ORGANIZED NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICTS, SO IF I'M JUST LIVING
IN A CONDO IN ANY PART OF TOWN
AND IT HAPPENS TO BE GRATEFULLY
LOCATED TO A PARK BUT
UNFORTUNATELY NOW THERE IS A
GROWING NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING
IN THE PARK BUT I'M NOT IN A
BUSINESS DISTRICT, I'M IN A
RESIDENTIAL AREA, WHO FROM THE
CITY IS COMMUNICATING WITH ME
ABOUT WHAT I CAN EXPECT TO OCCUR
WITH REGARD TO A GROWING NUMBER
OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS ON PUBLICLY OWNED
PROPERTY NEAR MY RESIDENCE?
>> FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE CONCERNS
ABOUT ENCAMPMENTS OR THE
IMPACTS OF HOMELESSNESS, OF
COURSE WE ASK THAT PEOPLE
EXPRESS THOSE CONCERNS THROUGH
THE APP THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE
A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE
THOSE ARE, SO AS IS POSSIBLE,
RESPOND TO THEM. SO, I'M GOING
TO PUT ALL MY OLD HAT FOR JUST
A SECOND, WE HAVE RECEIVED A
LOT OF COMMUNICATION FROM FOLKS
THAT ARE CONCERNED FOR THE
WELFARE OF FOLKS WHO ARE
OUTSIDE BUT ALSO FOR SAFETY AND
HEALTH IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
SO, COMMUNITY MEMBERS OBVIOUSLY
HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTACT
CITY GOVERNMENT THROUGH ALL THE
VARIOUS CHANNELS AND IN THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE AND HSD, WE ARE
VERY RESPONSIVE TO FOLKS THAT
WANT TO REACH OUT AND LEARN
MORE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY IS
DOING AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
APP AND HOW IT CAN WORK.
>> AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I
THINK WHAT THE GAP IS AND WHAT
MY CONCERN IS, THAT I'M HEARING
FROM THE CONSTITUENTS AND,
WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE
DEPARTMENT OR THE COUNSEL'S
OFFICE OR MAYOR'S OFFICE, IT
JUST FEELS LIKE THE EMAIL GOES
INTO A BLACK HOLE SOMEWHERE,
NOBODY GETS BACK TO THEM OR IF
THEY DO, IT IS MORE OF A
RESPONSE, AND I GET IT, I'M NOT
DISPARAGING THE APPROACH AT
ALL, I'M JUST EXPRESSING IN
COMMUNICATING SOME OF THE
FRUSTRATIONS THAT I'M HEARING
FROM CONSTITUENTS, THEY JUST
WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN.
I TOOK THE TIME AS A RESIDENT
IN THE CITY TO FLAG A
HUMANITARIAN CONCERN THAT IS
HAPPENING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD
BUT ALSO CREATING IMPACTS OF
LIVABILITY FOR ME, NOT JUST FOR
THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS AND I'M FLAGGING
THAT AND I FEEL LIKE NOBODY IS
RESPONDING.
AT LEAST NOBODY IS RESPONDING
OR WE ARE NOT, WE ARE GIVING
PEOPLE AN INFORMED RESPONSE,
AND WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO
OCCUR.
AND I THINK FOLKS ACROSS THE
CITY, THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW
WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT FROM THE
STATE GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF
HOW WE ARE GOING TO SHEPPARD
OUR LIMITED RESOURCES AND
SOMETIMES THE ANSWER IS
DIFFICULT, SOMETIMES THE ANSWER
IS, THAT LOCATION ISN'T A HIGH
PRIORITY FOR THE FOLLOWING
REASONS SO WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY
GOING TO GO OUT AND DO ANYTHING
RELATED TO THAT SITE.
OTHER TIMES, THERE ARE
SITUATIONS WHERE YOU SAY, IT IS
A HIGH PRIORITY AREA, WE ARE
FOCUSING ON ACCESSING PEOPLE TO
SURFACES, IT'S GOING TO TAKE
TIME, WE ARE NOT GOING TO
RESOLVE THIS WITHIN THE NEXT
TWO DAYS AND I JUST DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE CITY IS DOING TO HELP
OUR CONSTITUENTS BOTH HOUSED
AND UN-HOUSED, TO TRULY
UNDERSTAND THIS IS A PRIORITY
AND WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT
WE CAN FIX OVERNIGHT.
I GUESS I JUST WANT TO GET A
SENSE OF WHETHER THERE IS
ANYBODY DOING THAT FUNCTION
EITHER WITH HST OR THE HOPE
TEAM OR ANYWHERE ELSE AND IF
NOT, IF WE THINK THAT IT WOULD
BE IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY
STRATEGIES, TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE EFFECTIVELY AND
MEANINGFULLY COMMUNICATING TO
OUR CONSTITUENTS, WHAT IS
OCCURRING IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
WHEN THEY TAKE THE TIME TO
EXPRESS DEEP AND PROFOUND
CONCERN ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE
SEEING AS SIGNIFICANT ON THOSE
UNMET NEEDS AND THINGS GOING
FROM BAD TO WORSE IN SOME
SITUATIONS.
AND THE FOLKS I TALKED TO, THEY
STILL DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYBODY
GETTING HURT, EITHER HOUSED
PEOPLE OR ON HOUSED PEOPLE,
THEY JUST WANT TO BE HELPFUL
AND THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME
FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO THAT
WHEN IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE
ARE RESPONDING.
SO I JUST WANT TO GET A SENSE
FROM YOU ALL ABOUT WHETHER YOU
THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SORT OF OPEN UP THOSE CHANNELS
OF COMMUNICATION TO BE MORE
EFFECTIVE AND HOW WE ARE
COMMUNICATING WITH FOLKS WHO
ARE EXPRESSING CONCERNS TO US
EVERY DAY, ALL DAY AS IT
RELATES TO THOSE WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING ON SHELTERED
HOMELESSNESS.
>> AND I THINK YOU HAVE DONE A
FANTASTIC JOB OF EXPRESSING THE
COMPLEXITY BEHIND YOUR QUESTION
AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
WE WILL SAY IF WE DON'T HAVE AN
EASY ANSWER TO THAT, I WOULD
LOVE TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP
WITH YOU AND LONGER CONVERSATION
AND DO SOME BRAINSTORMING ON
THIS.
IT HITS DEPARTMENTS PRETTY MUCH
ALL ACROSS THE SPECTRUM AND I
SUSPECT THAT WE ARE ALL BEING
AS RESPONSIVE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN
AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK
TO YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT
MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT, I WOULD
WELCOME THAT CONVERSATION, I
THINK OTHER COLLEAGUES WOULD
ALSO APPRECIATE, JUST FIGURING
OUT A WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE A
BETTER SERVICE TO FOLKS AND
GETTING IN A BETTER PLACE IN
TERMS OF HAVING MORE STANDARD
SETS OF INFORMATION THAT WE FEEL
WE CAN RELY ON AND IS GOING TO
BE HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING.
SO I APPRECIATE THE OFFER TO
ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION AND I
WOULD WELCOME THAT OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT LINE OF
QUESTIONING, SINCE IT IS
GETTING LONGER AND I WANT TO BE
RESPECTFUL OF PEOPLE'S TIME, I
WANT TO CALL THIS THIRD AGENDA
ITEM, WE KIND OF BLED OVER INTO
IT A LITTLE BIT IN THE PREVIOUS
DISCUSSION, SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL
BE BRIEF AND WE CAN CLOSE OUT
JUST SLIGHTLY AFTER 5:00. I
APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE.
MR. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
ITEM 3 INTO THE AGENDA?
>> BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION OF
SEATTLE'S 2021 SHELTER
INVESTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
SO, HSD FOLKS, GO AHEAD AND
CONTINUE THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE WORK
THAT THE HOPE TEAM IS DOING, WE
ARE STILL OF COURSE FOCUSED ON
STANDING UP NEW SHELTER
RESOURCES THAT WERE FUNDED IN
THE 2021 BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR
SO FAR, WE HAVE OPENED TWO
TEMPORARY HOTEL SHELTERS AND WE
HAVE ALREADY ADDED MORE
ENHANCED SHELTERS.
THIS SUMMER, WE ARE ALSO
PLANNING TO ISSUE AN RFP TO
SEEK INTEREST AND RESPONSES FROM
PROVIDERS THAT WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN FURTHER EXPANDING
TINY HOUSE VILLAGES IN WHATEVER
FORM THAT MIGHT TAKE.
OUR PROVIDER PARTNERS ARE
CONTINUING TO DO INCREDIBLE
WORK TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE
SHELTERED DURING THE PANDEMIC,
THEY HAVE ADOPTED THEIR MODELS
AND THEY ARE STILL OPENING NEW
PROGRAMS.
HOWEVER, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I
DON'T CALL ATTENTION FOR US ALL
TO THE FACT THAT CAPACITY ISN'T
INFINITE AND IN FACT, IT IS
FAIRLY STRAINED AT THIS POINT.
THE SINGLE BIGGEST BARRIER TO
OPENING NEW PROGRAMS ACROSS THE
CITY IS NOT THE COMMITMENT OF
THE DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY
FAMILY AT LARGE TO ADDRESSING
ON SHELTERED HOMELESSNESS, IT IS
PROVIDER CAPACITY TO TAKE ON
MORE WORK.
STAFFING, PARTICULARLY HIRING
NEW STAFF IS A CHALLENGE ACROSS
ALL PROGRAMS, SO A QUICK EXAMPLE
, SHELTER OPENED A NEW WOMEN'S
SHELTER RECENTLY, THEY ARE
COMMITTED TO MAKING THE SHELTER
TO TURNING IT INTO AN ENHANCED
24/7 MODEL AND THE ONLY REASON
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO
THAT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING
SUCH A CHALLENGING TIME FINDING
APPROPRIATE STAFF, HIRING
APPROPRIATE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO
OPERATE IN THE MODEL.
SO WE ARE REGULARLY IN
CONVERSATION WITH OUR
PROVIDERS, TALKING ABOUT THIS
ISSUE, BRAINSTORMING AND ALSO
CONTINUING TO REMIND THEM THAT
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ADDITIONAL WORK.
SO, I WILL HAND THIS OFF TO
DIANA SALAZAR WHO IS THE HOME
STRATEGIES INVESTMENT DIRECTOR
AND SHE CAN WALK THROUGH THE
PROGRESS PHASE ON HOTELS AND
SHELTERS AND VILLAGES.
>> THANK YOU DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AS
MENTIONED IN MARCH WE OPENED UP
TWO HOTEL BASED ENHANCED
SHELTERS.
AND AS TARA ALLUDED TO EARLIER,
IT IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE
HOPE TEAM AND THE OUTREACH
PROVIDERS TO REFER INDIVIDUALS
TO THESE HOTELS, THE TWO HOTELS
ARE BRIEFLY THE EXECUTIVE HOTEL
PACIFIC WHICH IS OPERATED BY
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOW
INCOME HOUSING INSTITUTE
LEHIGH, AS YOU SEE HERE, ON THE
SCREEN, THIS POWERPOINT WAS
TRANSMITTED A FEW DAYS AGO SO
THE INFORMATION I WILL UPDATE,
WE ARE SERVING 133 CLIENTS
WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 109 ROOMS
OUT OF THE 139 AND IN THE KINGS
IN, OPERATED BY OUR PARTNERS OF
THE CHIEF SEATTLE CLUB, WE ARE
AT 68 CLIENTS AS OF MAY 4. BOTH
SIDES HAVE RAPID REHOUSING
AVAILABLE FOR FOLKS AS THEY
EXIT.
THE CITY IS OPENING THREE TINY
HOUSE VILLAGES THIS SUMMER,
THESE WILL SUPPORT AROUND 120
NEW UNITS TO SHELTER PEOPLE
LIVING ON SHELTERED AND ARE
AVAILABLE VIAPERIPHERALS.
WE APPRECIATE LEHIGH AND THE
COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR
SUPPORT OF THESE VILLAGES WE ARE
LAUNCHING.
ALL THREE WILL HAVE BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH, CASE MANAGEMENT,
HOUSING NAVIGATION, AND THE
THREE VILLAGES ARE THE FIRST,
ROSIE'S TINY HOUSE VILLAGES
WHICH IS EXPECTED TO SERVE 39
UNITS, AND WE ANTICIPATE
OPENING THIS JUNE.
THE SECOND VILLAGE IS
FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS WHICH WE
EXPECT TO HAVE 50 UNITS IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH LEHIGH AND A
RELIGIOUS SPONSOR OF EPIC LIGHT
CHURCH AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT
TO OPEN BY JUNE OR JULY.
AND THE THIRD TINY HOUSE
VILLAGE IS AN EXPANSION OF 29
UNITS AND WE ARE THANKFUL FOR
THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP OF
THE PORT OF SEATTLE AND THAT IS
EXPECTED TO OPEN IN SUMMER 2021.
AND AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR
ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WE HAVE
BEEN FUNDED IN THE 2021 BUDGET
CYCLE TO FUND 125 NEW AND
ENHANCED SHELTER BEDS, WE HAVE
PARTNERED WITH FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TO OPEN UP
A SHELTER AND IT IS BEING
OPERATED BY WHEEL, A NEW LOW
BARRIER SHELTER FOR WOMEN AND
WE ARE OFFERING 60 SPACES AND
THIS PROGRAM OFFERS ON-SITE
CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING
NAVIGATION, SHOWERS, DINING AREA
, NURSE STATION, CASE
MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE.
>> THANK YOU, DIANA. I'M GOING
TO WRAP US UP WITH A QUICK
DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE
PIPELINE LOOKS LIKE MOVING
FORWARD.
FOR CONTEXT, JUST TO REITERATE
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING SO FAR,
DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE
YEAR, HSD STAFF SUPPORTED AN
INCREASE OF ALMOST 400 NEW
ENHANCED SHELTER SPACES.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THE
INCREASE IN SPACES HAS
INCREASED THE OVERALL
PERCENTAGE OF ENHANCED SHELTERS
WITHIN OUR SYSTEM TO 89%, THAT
IS UP FROM 73%, AT THE END OF
2020.
I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
REMEMBER THAT EVEN AS WE ARE
LOOKING FORWARD, WE ARE STILL
ENGAGING PRESENTLY IN THIS NEW
GROWTH.
AS WITH ALL ENHANCED SHELTER
AND VILLAGES, THE NEW BEDS THAT
WE HAVE STOOD UP AND THAT WE
WILL STAND UP HAVE WRAPAROUND
SERVICES, INCLUDING BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SUPPORT AND HOUSING
NAVIGATION TO SUPPORT PEOPLE AS
THEY ARE MOVING INTO PERMANENT
HOUSING.
SO WHAT WE ARE DOING IN
ADDITION TO THAT, EVEN AS WE
STAND UP THOSE FIRST TWO
HOTELS, WE ARE CONSIDERING
SIDING AND OPERATING OPTIONS
FOR A THIRD HOTEL.
THIS SUMMER, DIANA'S TEAM WILL
BE RELEASING AN RFP TO SEEK
PROVIDER INTEREST IN STANDING
UP AND OPERATING NEW VILLAGES.
AGAIN, IN WHATEVER FORMAT THOSE
VILLAGES TAKE.
WE ARE ALSO CONTINUING TO
EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES BOTH
EXCITING AND WRITER CAPACITY TO
INCREASE THE ENHANCED SHELTER
BEDS.
SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO
DELIVERING ON THE FULL PROGRAM
THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH THIS
2021 BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL SAY THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT TODAY.
AND HAPPY TO TAKE MORE
QUESTIONS.
>> I HAVE A FEW TO KICKUS OFF
AND I SEE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA HAS A HAND UP . SO,
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO DO, I
DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE PROVIDER
CAPACITY ISSUE BECAUSE I KNOW
THAT IS A BIG ISSUE, LIKE YOU
GUYS, I HAVE TALKED TO
PROVIDERS ON A REGULAR BASIS
AND THEY WERE LAID-BACK. ONE
COROLLARY THAT IS EXPRESSED AND
I DON'T WANT TO SAY WHICH
PROVIDER BUT IT IS SEVERAL, THAT
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THE
RESOURCE CONVERSATION IS
RELATED TO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
WE PUT OUT FOR RFPS FOR
PROGRAMMATIC EXPANSION AND SOME
OF THE FEEDBACK I GET, IF THE
CITY CAN COMMIT AND I THINK
THIS COUNSEL IS COMMITTED TO IT
AND WILLING TO AFFIRM THE
COMMITMENT TO IT, TO ONGOING
STREAMS FOR OPERATIONS FOR SOME
OF THESE SHELTER OPTIONS,
PROVIDERS WOULD BE ABLE TO
RESPOND TO AN RFP STAFF UP AND
SCALE UP KNOWING THAT IT'LL BE
THERE. SO THERE IS, WHAT I HAVE
BEEN LED TO BELIEVE FROM SOME
OF THESE PROVIDERS, THERE'S A
LITTLE BIT OF CHICKEN AND THE
EGG WITH THIS, WHERE JUST
GETTING THE RFP OUT IN THE
FIELD CAN HAVE AN IMPACT THAT
WILL HELP THEM BE ABLE TO STAFF
UP TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE.
AND I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT
THERE, GIVEN THAT IT IS SORT OF
ANSWERED ON THE LAST SLIDE, I'M
WORKING WITH THE GOVERNMENT IN
GETTING THESE RFPS OUT, BUT IT
SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE
BOTTLENECKS IN THE CONTROL AND
CAPACITY CONVERSATION IS
GETTING THOSE RFPS OUT AND
GETTING IT OUT INTO THE SPACE
WHERE THE PROVIDERS CAN RESPOND
AND WHEN THEY ARE ADMITTED,
THEY CAN ACCORDINGLY ADJUST THE
STAFFING TO MEET THE CHALLENGE.
I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO THROW
THAT OUT THERE TO SEE IF THE
COUNCIL SENDS ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES THROUGH THE AMERICAN
RECOVERY ACT, THAT IS THE FIRST
THING, WHAT IS THE TURNAROUND
AND HOW FAST WE CAN GET THOSE
RFPS OUT THERE SO PEOPLE CAN
START RESPONDING TO THEM TO
MEET THE SCALE OF THE CRISIS.
THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE,
AND THIS IS MORE SPECULATIVE
RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST FOR THE
SAKE OF UNDERSTANDING THE
IMPLICATIONS OF THIS
DISCUSSION, IT'S POSSIBLE NEXT
YEAR THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS
GOING TO HAVE TO STAND UP 2000
UNITS WITHIN A YEAR IF THERE'S
A CHARTER AMENDMENT THAT
CREATES THAT MANDATE, HOW ARE
WE GOING TO CAMPUS AND --
POSITIONED THIS, WHICH IS IF WE
WANT TO FUNDAMENTALLY SOLVE
THIS ISSUE WE ARE FACING, WE
NEED TO HAVE A RESPONSE ON THAT
SCALE, I THINK THE COUNCIL IS
COMMITTED TO SENDING THOSE
RESOURCES OVER BUT IF WE COULD
GET AN EXCHANGE RIGHT NOW ABOUT
WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO IMPLEMENT
THAT, WE ARE WILLING TO DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BE AN
EFFECTIVE PARTNER AND TO HELP
YOU GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED.
SO, THERE'S A LOT IN THERE BUT
I WILL LET YOU MODERATE OUT THE
ANSWERS TO THAT AND THEN I WILL
RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU, WE WOULD WELCOME
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE
CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ABOUT
POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR WHAT WE
ARE HEARING, ARE SIGNIFICANT
CONSTRAINTS THAT THE PROVIDERS
ARE EXPERIENCING.
I WILL SAY, FOR DISCLOSURE, I'M
NOT IN A POSITION TO TALK ABOUT
WAYS IN WHICH THE AMENDMENT
COULD OR COULD NOT BE
IMPLEMENTED BUT WE SHARE YOUR
CONCERN AND WE ARE HAPPY TO
CONTINUE IN DIALOGUE WITH YOU
ABOUT THAT.
>> WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT IT
IN THE ABSTRACT AND JUST SAY
FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT WHAT
WOULD IT TAKE TO STAND UP 2000
UNITS OF HOUSING IN A YEAR?
>> THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AT THIS
POINT, I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE
I'M IN A POSITION TO HAVE AN
ABSTRACT CONVERSATION ABOUT
THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO POLITELY
REQUEST THAT WE BE ABLE TO
THINK ABOUT THIS AND ENTER INTO
CONVERSATION WITH YOU ABOUT
THAT.
>> FAIR ENOUGH. WE HAD SOME
TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT BUT WE
MIGHT HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT
PRETTY QUICK AND IN SHORT ORDER
. COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, DO
YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS?
>> YES, FIRST I WANT TO NOTE
THAT I THINK, LET ME SEE IF I
CAN GET THROUGH THIS, I THINK
IT'S REALLY A CHALLENGE TO HEAR
THAT THERE IS A WEEKLY MEETING
-- I WILL COME BACK IF THERE'S
ANYBODY ELSE IN THE QUEUE.
>> OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT, ARE
THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON
THIS SECTION HERE FROM OTHERS?
>> I CAN TRY ONE MORE TIME.
I THINK IT IS A REAL CHALLENGE
TO HEAR THERE IS A WEEKLY
MEETING THAT BRINGS TOGETHER
FOLKS TO LOOK AT WHERE THERE'S
SOME OBSTRUCTIONS OR HAZARDS
BUT DOESN'T ACTUALLY LEAD THEM
IN, OF WHERE WE HAVE AREAS WE
NEED TO HOUSE FOLKS.
SO I WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE
AS SOMETHING THAT I HEARD FROM
THE CONVERSATIONS IN LA, THE
MULTIAGENCY APPROACH TO BRING
PEOPLE TOGETHER WAS REALLY
SOMETHING THAT THEY FOUND TO
IDENTIFY HOW TO PUT PEOPLE IN
HOUSING FIRST, THE REASON FOR
BRINGING ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS
THE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER.
I WILL JUST PUT THIS OUT THERE,
I JUST WANT TO BUILD OFF OF THE
LAST COMMENT, 2 YEARS AGO, 3
YEARS AGO I WAS BLAMED PRETTY
HARD BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE BOTH
IN THE PRESS AND WITH
ACCUSATIONS THAT WE WERE TRYING
TO STEAL FUNDING FROM OUTREACH
DOLLARS FROM HOMELESSNESS THAT
WAS SUPPOSED BE GOING TO THE
NAVIGATION TEAM AT THE TIME
BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO OFFER
A COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE THAT
HASN'T BEEN OFFERED IN 10 YEARS
BUT IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE
ORGANIZATIONS PRIOR TO COVID
HAD A CAPACITY CONCERN AND IT'S
BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING FOLKS WHO
HAVE MASTERS DEGREES AND
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY DISORDERS,
$32,000 PER YEAR THROUGH THE
CONTRACTS THAT WE ARE OFFERING.
FAST FORWARD TO THIS YEAR, JUST
CARES MODEL WASN'T ALLOWED TO BE
AWARDED THE GRANTS BECAUSE OF
THE AMOUNT THAT IT COST, IT
COST MONEY TO RETAIN PEOPLE, IT
COST MONEY TO HIRE FOLKS AND
MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT HIGH
TURNOVER SO I DON'T THINK WE
NEED TO DO ANY BRAINSTORMING
WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WE
NEED TO OFFER THE RFPS A TRULY
REFLECTIVE COST OF DOING THE
OUTREACH THAT THEY DO, IT IS
INTENSE WORK THAT REQUIRES
RELATIONSHIPS AND SKILLS AND WE
NEED TO HAVE THEM RECOGNIZE
THAT.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO HEAR
HOW THESE ARE BEING USED TO
INCREASE NOW FUNDING, NOT IN
THE SUMMER OR THE FALL, BUT NOW
SO WE CAN ADDRESS THIS CAPACITY
ISSUE.
IS THERE ANYTHING HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERPAYMENT OF WAGES FOR OUR
HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS?
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU
FOR DEALING WITH THE BACKGROUND.
>> THANK YOU, AND I THINK WE
WILL MAKE THAT OUR LAST
QUESTION, TOO.
BACK OVER TO YOU.
>> I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO
OFFER, OTHER THAN COUNCILMEMBER
, MOSQUEDA, WE ARE HAPPY TO
FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU ON THAT
INFORMATION.
THANK YOU.
>> BUT THE QUESTION WAS, SO DO
YOU HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH
EVERYONE ON THE CURRENT EFFORTS
TO ADDRESS THE CAPACITY ISSUE?
BECAUSE IF THAT IS SO, THAT IS
PERFECTLY FINE ESPECIALLY GIVEN
THE LATE HOUR BUT, I GUESS THE
QUESTION IS A GOOD ONE, BUT ARE
THERE EFFORTS GOING ON TO
ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE
ONGOING CAPACITY AND RETENTION
ISSUES SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE
FACING. AND IF THAT IS JUST A
YES, THEN WE WILL PIVOT THE
DETAILS LATER, THAT'S FINE BUT
I THINK IT IS A QUESTION THAT
WARRANTS A RESPONSE IN THE
COMMITTEE HERE.
>> I APOLOGIZE, I UNDERSTOOD
THE COUNCILMEMBER TO BE ASKING
FOR FOLLOW-UP SO I
MISUNDERSTOOD.
SO YES, AGAIN, WE ARE IN
CONSTANT CONVERSATION WITH THE
PROVIDERS AND WE ARE ALSO
TALKING WITH THE MAYORS OFFICE
AS WELL AS THE EXECUTIVE SO THE
KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE
AROUND JOINT SOLUTIONS THAT WE
MIGHT BE LOOKING AT.
OF COURSE WE HAVE THE NEW
REGIONAL AUTHORITY THAT HAS
BEEN STOOD UP, SO WE ARE ADDING
THEM TO THIS CONVERSATION AS
WELL.
IT IS COMPLEX AND WE WOULD BE
HAPPY TO FOLLOW-UP ON ANYTHING
ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE US TO TALK
ABOUT WITH REGARD TO THIS.
BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE
CONCRETE DETAILS FOR YOU AT THE
MOMENT.
>> WELL, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
ANOTHER MEETING LATER THIS
MONTH AND WE CAN MAYBE FILL IN
SOME OF THE BLANKS HERE ON SOME
OF THE THINGS DUE TO TIME
CONSTRAINT, WE HAD TO LEAVE ON
THE FLOOR.
SO WE WILL WORK CLOSELY ON
SETTING THAT UP, ESPECIALLY
GIVEN THE LATE HOUR HERE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY JOINING
US FROM HST, EVEN THOUGH THERE
ARE A LOT OF MUTUAL FRUSTRATIONS
IN DEALING WITH THE CRISIS OF
HOMELESSNESS, THERE'S A LOT OF
DISAGREEMENT, IN SOME AREAS
BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE
COUNCIL BUT I THINK ALL OF US
APPRECIATE AND GREATLY RESPECT
THE HARD WORK EVERYONE IS DOING
IN THE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY
GIVEN DUE TO THE HIRING FREEZE
IN THE TRANSFER TO THE NEW
AUTHORITY, HOW SHORTSTAFFED THE
DEPARTMENT IS IN THIS AREA
CURRENTLY, AND I JUST WANT TO
SAY I APPRECIATE YOU SPENDING
THE AFTERNOON WITH US AND
ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS AND WE
WILL BE IN TOUCH ON THE NEXT
MEETING TO KEEP WORKING THROUGH
THOSE TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT OUR WORK.
>> WITH THAT, THAT IS THE LAST
AGENDA ITEM SO IS THERE
ANYTHING FOR THE GOOD OF THE
ORDER HERE BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
>> NOPE.
>> YEAH, NOBODY WANTS TO BE THE
UNPOPULAR PERSON THAT HOLDS US
FOR ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.
OKAY, THIS COMMITTEE IS
ADJOURNED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PATIENCE EVERYBODY.